Star Crossed
by tufano79
Summary: She was the leader of her people. He was a gruff, by-the-book star ship captain. An interstellar war, negotiations for a peace treaty gone wrong and a taboo relationship between two species. Will they survive this threat or are the Star Crossed lovers doomed before they even have a chance?
1. Chapter 1

**So, something completely different…I'm struggling with writer's block and I'm hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group's walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I've always been interested in **_**Star Trek**_** and science fiction. Even before **_**Twilight,**_** it caught my attention. I even wrote some **_**Star Trek: Deep Space Nine**_** fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn't really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I'm not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own **_**Star Trek, **_**which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine. **

_**Summary**__**:**_She was the leader of her people.

He was a gruff, by-the-book star ship captain.

An interstellar war, negotiations for a peace treaty gone wrong and a taboo relationship between two species.

Captain Edward Cullen was in charge of the starship, _Volvo_. He, along with his crew, were given a mission to deliver Empress Nirabelle of the Cygnarian people to the nearby planet of Lapus, to negotiate a treaty between their two worlds. For over a millennia, they have been fighting a vicious battle. For what? They don't even know. It's ingrained in their minds and their history.

The Empress is to meet with the Crown Prince of Lapus, Jakob. The _Volvo_ is transporting her and her envoy, Maralice to the planet. There are strict rules in place for the Empress's transport. She is to not have any contact with any males on the ship, per the cultural norms of Cygnarian society. The trip should take as little time as possible and if no headway has been made within one day of being in orbit, Captain Cullen is to transport the Empress from the planet's surface.

However, something goes terribly wrong on Lapus. One communication to the _Volvo _and a brief face-to-face conversation forever changes the future of the Empress and Captain Cullen.

Will they survive this threat or are the _Star Crossed_ lovers doomed before they even have a chance?

_**Star Crossed**_

"Captain, you have a hail from Admiral Cullen," said the communications officer, Lt. Riley. "He says it's urgent and delicate, sir."

"Send it to my ready room," I responded curtly. "I'll speak with him there."

"Understood," Lt. Riley nodded.

I got up from my chair on the bridge of my ship, the starship, _Volvo_. I nodded to my first officer, Commander Jasper Whitlock. He barely acknowledged me, but then again, he never did. I knew he was bitter about being passed over for the command of his own ship and under my leadership. Striding across the bridge, I used my thumb to open the door of my ready room, the office just off the bridge. Walking a little slower, I sat down at my desk and turned on the terminal. The waiting communiqué was blinking on the screen. Pressing the screen, I saw the face of my father appear. "Admiral?"

"I just received your report on the last mission we sent you on," my father said, looking at the tablet in front of him. "You're building yourself quite a reputation as a negotiator and a diplomat, Edward."

"I'm only following the guidelines and rules from my Galaxy Fleet training," I said, blushing slightly. "It was tough, but the reward was worth it. Seeing the smiles of the refugees from the war as they exited their prison cells, it made me so proud to say that I had a hand in that."

"You should be proud, Edward. I know I am," Carlisle, my father, the admiral, said while he gave me a beaming grin. "Anyhow, we have another mission for you."

"Sir, I mean no disrespect, but my crew is desperate need for some rest and relaxation. The negotiations with the Mesans and Phoenicians was taxing on them and my ship. I was heading to one of the space stations to get the _Volvo_ overhauled," I said.

"You can still go to the space station, located off the outskirts of Cygnari space. They are quite good at what they do and you'll be able to spend some time as you prepare for your mission," Carlisle explained. My tablet beeped and I saw a classified file appear. "Your reputation is going to be your biggest asset, Edward."

"Did you say Cygnari space?" I asked, looking at our orders. "They have been at war with the Alphans for millennia. They aren't also a part of the Federation."

"But they want to be. They've been denied because of their ongoing war with the Alphans. Their leader, Emperor Charel, wanted to see it happen before his death. Unfortunately, the war snuffed that idea quickly. He was killed about six months ago in a border skirmish."

"How do you know all this? The Cygnarians are a very private species," I said, skimming the information.

"Charel reached out to the Federation. He wanted to end this interstellar war. He wanted a better future for his children, Nirabelle and Charanel. He died before his wish came true. His daughter, Nirabelle, is now the Empress of her people. She wants to see her father's dying wish come true. Working with our team here on Earth, we've devised a plan for her. But there are some very specific rules, per the Cygnarian Council of Elders," Carlisle said.

"What are these rules?" I asked.

"Empress Nirabelle cannot have any contact with any male member of your crew," Carlisle stated firmly.

"Uh, Dad, I hate to burst your bubble, but eighty percent of my crew is male," I grumbled.

"I know. However, Rosalie will act as her liaison," he said. Rosalie was our chief medical officer and my ex-wife. We got married impetuously on the pleasure planet, Monté, on shore leave. We didn't love each other. It was all lust. Rosalie was gorgeous with golden blonde hair, golden skin and golden eyes. We fought merely just to make up, because the sex was phenomenal, but that does not make a strong relationship. After a year, we ended our union and we're the best of friends. She was also a valued member of my crew, being an excellent doctor and counselor. Rosalie was half human and half Solarian, an empathic species. If it weren't for her, the negotiations for all of the missions we went on would fall to pieces. She also could control the room with her empathic ability.

"Okay, so Rosalie will work with her. That's good, but it's going to be difficult to keep her separated from all the men on my ship," I said. "Is she going to stay in her quarters for the entire journey?"

"Yes, for the most part. She will have an envoy, Maralice, to act as a go-between. Maralice is a widowed Cygnarian woman who can speak with men and will relay any concerns to you or to Commander Whitlock," my father explained.

"What about the rest of the rules?"

"It's all in the file. Now, it will take about a week and half at maximum jump speed to get to Cygnari space. You have to be in orbit of Forx, the home planet of the Cynarians, in two weeks. It will take another week to get to Lapus, the Alphan home world. I'll let you read the report. Contact me if you have any questions," he said.

"I will," I said, pushing the tablet aside. Smiling crookedly, I looked at my father. "How's Mom?"

"Hating retirement," he snorted. "She wanted to keep exploring space but I missed my wife."

"You could have joined her, Admiral," I snickered. "Or she could have accepted her promotion."

"You know as well as me that your mother would not want to work at Federation Headquarters. She's always wanting to learn more. You're so much like her," Carlisle said, giving me a wry grin. "She wouldn't be so antsy if you would give us a grandchild."

"Dad…" I grumbled. "Kind of single. Can't have babies on my own."

"Well, you could," he laughed.

"I'm not liking where this conversation is going. Bug my sister," I said, arching a brow. "She lives on Earth and is in a relationship."

"Trust me, Esme is constantly ragging on Elizabeth," my dad deadpanned. "I think Elizabeth will be contacting you about stowing away on our ship to get away from the nagging."

"I'll gladly take her because I know what a pain in the ass Mom is when she gets her mind set on something," I chuckled. "Anything else pertaining to the mission?"

"No. You have it all," he said. "Call your mother, just to give her something to look forward to and after this mission, your crew will get some much needed time off. And that is coming from the admiral and your father."

"We'll gladly take it, sir," I snickered.

"Love you, son."

"You, too, Dad."

"Admiral Cullen, out." The screen blinked black before the insignia for the Federation popped up.

I sat back on my chair, running my hands through my unruly bronze hair. I stared at the ceiling for a moment before getting up to the replicator to get something to drink. "Computer, coffee, black," I barked to the console. The machine whirred and appearing out of thin air was a steaming cup of coffee. I picked it up, inhaling it briefly before walking back to my desk. I quickly contacted the helm officer, informing him of our new destination. The engines sprang to life and we were on our way to Space Station Seven, on the outskirts of Federation space, near Cygnarian territory.

I spent the next two hours poring over the orders my father gave me. I had to prepare a briefing for my senior staff so they knew what we were heading into. However, this kind of mission is what I lived for. I was a Galaxy Fleet brat. I was born on starship, lived on a starship for most of my life and will probably die on a starship. Plus, I was the golden child of Galaxy Fleet, graduating with top honors at the age of seventeen. Two years ago, I was awarded my own command and was the youngest captain in Galaxy Fleet history at the age of twenty-eight. I was now thirty and I loved the challenges I faced on a daily basis of being a Galaxy Fleet captain.

Well, except for my pain in the ass First Officer.

Commander Jasper Whitlock was amazing at his job, the best in the fleet. However, he was up for his own command at the same time I was. Galaxy Fleet felt that he wasn't emotionally prepared to be a captain and he was denied the promotion, assigned to be my first officer. Jasper was a decorated Wing Commander for the Galaxy War Fleet. He was injured gravely and lost both of his legs in the final battle he led. In addition to that, he was scarred both physically and emotionally. He spent a year and a half at Galaxy Fleet Medical Headquarters on the Solari home world. He had to learn how to use his biomechanical limbs and cope with his survivor's guilt. He was granted a field commission of lieutenant commander upon his return to Galaxy Fleet. He quickly became commander and first officer for a small research vessel, _Chicago_.

He put in for a transfer to the _Volvo_ when he heard that the captain was nearing the end of her career. I was the first officer and when the captain resigned from the fleet, I was offered the post and Jasper was given the opportunity to be my first officer. He took it, begrudgingly. The rest, as they say, is history.

Commander Whitlock was a seasoned officer and I trusted him with making tough decisions. But, he was too eager to start a fight, to use our phasers or torpedoes to settle issues. I was always willing to negotiate or solve it diplomatically. Jasper was a hot-head who just like to shoot off his weapons. A lot of that comes from his history in the War Fleet. They didn't use diplomacy. They used fire power. It was a different frame of mind and he was still learning it.

Shaking my head, I sent a communiqué to my senior staff for a briefing of our upcoming mission at 0800 the following morning.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

Smoothing my black uniform with grey jacket and blue shirt underneath, I picked up my tablet from the desk in my quarters. Swiping my communicator from the edge of my nightstand and affixed to my jacket. As I was adjusting it, it chirped. "Halé to Cullen."

"Cullen here," I responded to my ex.

"Edward, I can't make it to the briefing at 0800. There was a coolant leak in engineering and sick bay is swarming with injured," Rose said.

"When can you make it?" I asked. "You are crucial to this mission. You have to be at the briefing."

"I don't know. Two hours? I have to triage the patients," she said. "Once I get through with that, I should be able to make it. I'm exhausted, though. Zero sleep over the past thirty-six hours. We need another doctor or one of those holographic doctors that Galaxy Fleet Medical is constantly trying to install."

"I thought you were against the holodoctors," I snickered.

"You try staying up for nearly two days and see how you feel," she said. "1000 in the conference room?"

"Yeah. I'll let everyone know. It'll give me an opportunity to finalize their jobs. Have Lt. Morgainne contact me about the status of the coolant leak," I said, naming our chief engineer.

"Got it. Halé out."

I walked to the bridge after I informed the senior staff of the change. I received reports from helm, security and science stations for my perusal. I thanked them politely, nodding as they were dismissed and first shift came on duty. I went in my ready room, rereading the report and orders from my father. I also read over the overnight reports. Nothing was out of the ordinary. The only thing that caught my attention was a minor course correction that was made to avoid an asteroid, but the ship was traveling smoothly, even with the coolant leak.

Around 1000, I beckoned to Jasper. We left the helmsman in charge of the bridge while we had our briefing in the conference room. My senior staff was all assembled around the table. I took my seat at the head of the table and sent the information from my tablet to the screen. "Thank you all for being flexible with the meeting time, everyone. Dr. Halé was indisposed due to an accident in engineering. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, sir," she replied. "We had two ensigns with extreme frost bite and one crewman with a broken leg, but everyone is resting comfortably."

"Lt. Morgainne, what happened?" I asked my chief engineer. He was a full blooded Solari man that was nearly six and half feet tall and was one huge muscle. His hair was a shiny black, but his skin was tanned with a pearlescent sheen and his eyes were golden. He was also involved with Rose.

"One of the pipes was weak and it gave way. Thankfully, it was a smaller leak or it would have been a lot worse. We've corrected the problem but we need to get into space dock soon for a complete overhaul, sir," he said, frowning deeply.

"Unfortunately, we won't be able to. Not until after our next mission. We are stopping at Space Station Seven, but it's mainly to pick up supplies and fix any major issues," I explained.

"Why are we flying to the far reaches of the Federation?" Jasper asked. "Space Station Seven is just outside of Cygnarian space. They've been involved in an interstellar war forever!"

"That's why. Six months ago, the leader of the Cygnarian people, Charel, contacted Galaxy Fleet. They had petitioned to join the Federation but were rejected numerous times due to the war between the Cygnarians and the Alphans, the residents of Lapus. Emperor Charel was trying to negotiate a peace when he was killed by an Alphan attack. His daughter, Empress Nirabelle, is trying to make his dream a reality. We are transporting the empress and her envoy to Lapus to discuss and possibly negotiate a treaty between the two worlds," I explained.

"Why couldn't the empress take one of her own ships to Lapus?" asked my head of security, a Klaxon woman named Victoria. She was short, but wiry with wild, curly red hair. Her eyes were a unique shade of indigo and she had ridges along the bridge of her nose and on the muscles that connected her neck to her shoulders. Behind her, Victoria's tail vibrated with anxiety and anger.

"All of the Cygnarian ships are protecting the border," I answered, showing them the Cygnarian fleet on a star chart. "One ship leaves the line and the Alphans attack."

"It seems like the Alphans are monsters," spat Rose. "You've only ever mentioned Alphan attacks, no Cygnarian."

"The Alphans are a very aggressive species. They've attacked planets along the borders of Federation space, looking for supplies and ships," I sighed. "The Cygnarians are peaceful and don't want to fight. At least, that's what Charel told Admiral Cullen six months ago. Empress Nirabelle has reiterated the same beliefs as well. So, we've been asked to provide her a transport and act as intermediaries if negotiations fall apart. There are some strict rules in place, though."

I pressed a button the rules for transporting the empress were on the screen. "The first one is probably going to be the most challenging. She cannot have any contact with male members of the crew."

"Uh, Captain, you do realize that out of a crew of nearly six hundred people, four hundred fifty are men," Lt. Morgainne said, arching a brow.

"I know," I sighed, scrubbing my face. "This is where Rose and Victoria are going to be very valuable. Rose, you are assigned to the Empress as her liaison."

I pressed another button and a picture of Empress Nirabelle appeared on the screen. I'd never seen a more beautiful woman, honestly. She had long flowing, mahogany hair with a few strands that shone, almost iridescent. Her skin was pale but she had these light brown, almost like, leopard spots going down the sides of her face and disappearing into her gown. Her hair was clipped back, held off her face by silver crown. Her ears were lightly pointed and very dainty. Her true beauty and her ultimate sadness were held in her face, specifically her eyes. The empress had pretty, pouty lips that were full but pulled into a frown. Her face was heart-shaped but her eyes, which were electric blue, held all of the pain of her people. I wanted to pull her into my arms and hug the shit out of her, but strict rules prohibited men from interacting with her.

"Captain, do you know why she is not allowed to speak with men?" Commander Whitlock questioned.

"It's not clearly stated in the report. The explanation is vague at best, saying it was culturally unacceptable," I responded. "In addition to that rule, we have a week to get to Lapus, but we are to remain in orbit for a day and pull out the empress and her envoy if there is any trouble."

"Will we be sending a security team?" Victoria asked. She took her job very seriously and the fact that she could kill any one of us with one swipe of her talons or a be strangled by her muscular tail, we listened to her intently.

"No," I said, trying to hide my distaste. "We're sending the empress and her envoy down with a communicator and that's it. They didn't want to cause the Alphans any reason to doubt their sincerity."

"I don't like it, Captain," Victoria growled, her red hair beginning to glow in anger. Her violet eyes also began glowing.

"Calm down, Commander," I said curtly. "I don't like it either, but it was what the Cygnarian Council of Elders wants."

"Can't we give her a phaser or bomb or something?" Victoria almost whined.

"No, Victoria," I answered. "Now, we're en route to Cygnarian space. We have a brief stop at Space Station Seven for some repairs and then to the Cygnarian home world, Forx."

"Sir, with all due respect, why were we chosen for this mission?" Jasper asked snidely. "I know that the _Enterprise_ is closer to the Federation border."

"Our recent work with the Mesans and Phoenicians have made the _Volvo_ the go-to for diplomatic missions," I answered. "This is a very delicate situation and the admiral knew that we had the finesse to handle it." Jasper harrumphed and muttered something under his breath. I growled lowly. "Do you have something to add, Commander?"

"No, sir," he spat.

"Well, you all have your jobs. We have a week and half until we get to the space station. Make as many repairs as you can so that we have to dock for as little time as possible," I hissed. "Everyone but Commander Whitlock is dismissed." They all left except my first officer. I glared at him. "I'll repeat my last question, Commander Whitlock. I'm pretty certain that you don't want another letter in your file for insubordination."

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" he asked, his hazel eyes blazing. I nodded. "It's bullshit that your 'daddy' the admiral gives you these missions. You're not ready for them."

"And you are?" I scoffed. "You'd want to blow up the Alphan home world. You fire phasers, ask questions later. And who are you to question my authority? I became a captain on my own merits, not riding on the coat tails of my father, the admiral."

"You keep telling yourself that, sir," Jasper snarled.

"You're treading a fine line, Commander. I gave you permission to speak freely, but I'm still your commanding officer," I said, standing up. "Your boss."

"I'm sorry, sir. I just don't agree with the admiral's orders," Jasper said, crossing his arms.

"It doesn't matter if you agree or don't agree, only that you follow them," I said, walking to the door. "You're assigned to engineering today. They need some extra help due to the coolant leak."

"I can't move around in the Jeffries tubes, sir. You know that," Jasper growled.

"You have your orders, Commander," I said coldly. "You don't show up and you'll be relieved of duty for the remainder of this mission." I turned on my heel and left him in the conference room. I hated to be a hard ass, but Jasper constantly questioning my authority was getting on my last nerve. He had to learn that I was the captain and that he was not.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

Nearly two weeks later, we were in orbit of Forx. It was a smaller planet that was mostly green and blue. It reminded me of a smaller version of Earth. Rose was waiting for the Empress in the transporter room along with Victoria. It felt weird not being there to meet a traveling dignitary.

"Sir, the Cygnarian Council of Elders is hailing us," Lt. Riley said.

"On screen, lieutenant," I replied, standing up. Three men were seated at a long table. The man in the middle had long black hair and a shrewd gleam in his neon green eyes. The man on his right had brown hair that was braided down his back and he looked bored, his blue eyes filled with zero emotion. The man on the left had short cropped white hair with glowing pink eyes. "Greetings from the _Volvo_. I'm Captain Edward Cullen. This is my first officer, Commander Jasper Whitlock."

"Thank you for making such good time," said the man in the middle. His voice was deep and resonant. "I am Aro. These are my brothers and fellow members of the Council of Elders, Marcusi and Caius. We are grateful for your assistance with this matter between the Alphans and the Cygnari. So many years have gone by. So many deaths. The time of war needs to come to an end, Captain."

"I can imagine, Counselor Aro," I frowned. "We will do our best to ensure the safety of the Empress and her Envoy. I have a team assigned to work with them once they come aboard."

"No males?" Caius asked, his eyes flashing.

"No, Counselor Caius. My chief medical officer, Dr. Rosalie Halé, is acting as the liaison along with my chief security officer, Victoria Braxas," I explained.

"Why can't she interact with men?" Jasper asked, arching a brow. I shot him a stern look. He had the same report that I did he knew that it was socially unacceptable to ask such a question. He was undermining my authority in front of this tribunal of elders.

"She simply cannot. We are going against our cultural beliefs in allowing her to go and negotiate," Caius hissed. "The leader of the Alphans, Crown Prince Jakob, only will work with the leader of our people. We wanted to send an emissary, but told us on numerous occasions that would be an insult to his leadership. He will only deal exclusively with the Empress. If need be, he wants to create an alliance with the Cygnarians through marriage with the Empress." All of the council members reacted to that, making faces of disdain and disgust.

"We do not want to resort to that," Marcus said, his voice sound fatigued. "The Empress needs to mate with a Cygnarian male, not an Alphan."

"What can we do to prevent that, Counselor Marcus?" I asked.

"If after one day, there has been no headway made toward a peace, you need to pull her out," Marcus said.

There was chime in the council room. Aro looked up at me. "The Empress is aboard your vessel, Captain. You have one week to get to Lapus and to negotiate a peace between our worlds. May the Gods shine upon you as you carry our most precious cargo."

"Thank you, sir," I said, nodding slightly. "We will be in contact with you if there is anything that happens."

All of the men, clasped their hands in front of their faces and bowed solemnly. I did the same before cutting the hail from the surface of Forx.

"Halé to Cullen," chirped my communicator.

"Cullen here," I replied.

"The Empress is ensconced in her quarters. She gave me more explicit directions regarding our role in the negotiations," Rose explained. "However, time is of the essence, sir. Envoy Maralice will speak with you once she has the Empress settled, but there has been a change in the terms from Jakob and Alphans. You need to break orbit and head to Lapus immediately."

"Understood. Cullen out," I said, nodding to the helmsman. He plotted a course and we broke orbit, jumping to our maximum speed. "Commander Whitlock, the bridge is yours. When Envoy Maralice needs to speak with me, please send her to my ready room."

Whitlock nodded, taking the captain's chair. I went in my ready room, puzzled by the 'change in terms.' I was also stressed about the expectations the council had regarding the negotiations. Finally, I felt a stirring in my belly and a warmth washing over my body. The last time I felt something like that was when I shared my first kiss with a Klaxon girl from school when I was fourteen. Her tail had crept up my pants and gave my penis a tug. Why would I feel as giddy as a school boy when I had no reason to be having these feelings? It made no sense.

Pushing that aside, I reread my father's report and his orders, hoping that we're successful with our mission and distract my mind. Based on the cryptic message from Rose, it didn't sound promising. I didn't want to fail the Federation or the Cygnarians. I had to be successful, but how? I was trying to figure out a diplomatic solution when my door chimed. "Enter," I replied, standing up and smoothing my uniform.

The door slid open and a petite, elfin looking woman glided inside. She had long raven hair that hung around her head like a cloud. Her eyes were bright blue, almond shaped and wide set. Like all Cygnarians, she had the leopard spots along her temples, going down the sides of her face and neck. Unlike the Empress's spots, Maralice's spots were grayer with a blue tinge, glowing slightly towards the center. She wore a long, flowing white tunic with a blue belt around her waist. It matched a single turquoise gem in between her eyes. "Greetings, Captain Cullen," she said, her voice sounding like tinkling bells. "I am Maralice, Envoy to Empress Nirabelle of Forx, Leader of the Cygnarian people."

"Welcome aboard, Envoy," I said, giving her the greeting that I learned in my research, the same gesture that the council gave me.

"Please, call me Alice," she replied, her face relaxing slightly as she gave the greeting. "I do hope that we can become friends during this dark time."

"Only if you call me Edward, Alice," I smiled. "Please, sit."

"Thank you, Edward," she said, sitting on the couch in my office.

"Can I get you something to eat or drink?" I asked. She shook her head, folding her hands in her lap. "It's an honor to have you and the Empress aboard my ship."

"The Empress wishes to express her gratitude for the use of your ship and her crew. This is far more luxurious than the most expensive ship in our fleet," Alice said, looking around my office.

"I take it that the Empress is happy with her accommodations?"

"She is, Edward." Alice blew out a breath and gave me a sheepish grin. "Now, we have withheld information from you about these negotiations. We've also withheld the same information from the council as well for fear that they would not allow our departure," Alice frowned. "We do not mean to deceive you, but this turn of events necessitates peace more so than ever."

"Will it put my crew or your Empress in danger?" I asked, my temper flaring. _Stay calm, Cullen. _

"Possibly," Alice grimaced. "Please, hear me out, Captain. Crown Prince Jakob, he has been obsessed with the Empress for as long as he has been alive. Emperor Charel was trying to avoid an arranged marriage due to the prince's nature."

"His nature?"

"Prince Jakob is a cruel, sadistic monster," Alice growled, her eyes flashing a deep blue. "He ordered the death of the Emperor when he refused to promise Nirabelle to him in marriage. Since that moment, Jakob has sent threatening hails and communications directly to Nirabelle, vowing that he will take her as his wife and…" She trailed off, her eyes darting to the floor. "She is terribly frightened and does not want to be mated to this _animal._"

"I understand, Alice. You don't need to explain," I soothed.

"Captain, we need to stop this war. It's been going on for millennia, for so long that we do not even know what we are fighting over. In order to stop it, we need to stop Jakob. If he takes the Empress as his wife, she will die and so will the Cygnarian people."

**A/N: There you have it…the first chapter of **_**Star Crossed.**_** Now, this will be more like a combination of **_**Twilight**_** and **_**Star Trek**_**. We will be flipping back and forth between characters. Up next will be the Empress. **

**Now, pictures will be a challenge since some of the characters are alien and I do not have the means or the talent to create manipulations. I do have some photos of the **_**Volvo**_** and those are on my tumblr and blog. Links for those are on my profile. I will also post them in my Facebook group: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. **

**As always, reviews are welcome…please, leave me some. **


	2. Chapter 2

**So, something completely different…I'm struggling with writer's block and I'm hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group's walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I've always been interested in **_**Star Trek**_** and science fiction. Even before **_**Twilight,**_** it caught my attention. I even wrote some **_**Star Trek: Deep Space Nine**_** fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn't really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I'm not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own **_**Star Trek, **_**which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Chapter Two**

**BPOV**

I paced the length of my quarters that I was sharing with Alice. The low hum of the ships engine reverberated through my body and the stars streaked by, looking like _Rishna_ _flies_ from my home world. I remember capturing the flies, keeping them in a jar and staring at them with my brother, Charanel. They glowed beautifully, lighting up my room. It was such a time of innocence and happiness. A time when my father was still with us and I did not understand the cruelty of war.

The door chimed. I walked to open it. I was greeted by the red-haired woman with the tail. "Greetings, Empress," she said gruffly. "Dr. Halé wanted me to check on you. She was called away for a medical emergency."

"I'm fine, Commander Braxas," I smiled. "The accommodations are quite luxurious. I've never seen such a ship with rooms like these." I gestured for her to enter and she looked around my new home with appraising eyes. "Is everything alright?"

"Sorry, Empress. It's in my nature to constantly look for a threat. Captain Cullen received explicit instructions that you are not to be harmed," she said, smiling sheepishly. Commander Braxas was the head of the security team on the _Volvo. _It made sense for her to worry about my safety. Though, at the mention of the captain, my heart stammered against my ribs. I could feel my spots luminesce and my eyes darken. _Why am I reacting to this man's name like he was my mate? _It made no sense. I never met Captain Cullen and he was a human. "Empress? Are you okay? You look a little flushed."

"I'm fine, Commander," I replied, trying to calm my body down. I needed to get these reactions under control. Alice noticed my spots glowing as we were walking to our quarters.

"Empress…" Commander Braxas began.

"Please, call me Bella," I smiled. "I'm not an empress on this vessel, just a passenger."

"Only if you call me Victoria." I nodded, giving her the standard Cygnarian greeting. Victoria mimicked my actions clumsily. "Bella, if you need anything, you can access the computer at this terminal." She pressed a few buttons and a screen lit up. "The cultural databases of all of the Federation worlds are on here, including literature, music and art. You can also send communications out to your home world at the same terminal."

"The journey to Lapus is long. We've never been able to communicate with ships along the borders," I whispered.

"We have a very strong communications array along with many Federation satellites and space stations that can relay your hails," Victoria explained. She reached into her pocket, handing me two brooches. "These are communicators. The captain wants you to wear these at all times. One is for you and the other is for your envoy. They clip to your clothing. To make them work, just tap it and ask for the person you want to speak with." Victoria tapped her communicator. It chirped. "Braxas to Cullen."

"Cullen here," came a velvety baritone voice.

"I'm contacting you to inform you that the empress has received her communicator," she said.

"Thank you, Commander," Cullen said. "Are the Empress and the Envoy linked into our computers?"

"I'm going over that now, sir," Victoria said. "Anything else, Captain?"

"No, Commander. Excellent work," he replied, a smile evident in his voice. "Cullen out." I stared at the tiny brooch on her chest, wanting, yearning to hear more of the captain's voice. _This is why you are not to interact with males, Nirabelle. _

"Empress?" Victoria chuckled. "You're blushing again."

"My apologies," I stammered out. "Such wonderful technologies. And I can understand you perfectly. I know we do not speak the same language."

"In the communicator, there's a universal translator," she said, handing them to me. "It allows us to communicate with different species and cultures without the hassle of having someone learning the languages. The Captain has a great ear for languages as does Dr. Halé, but this little gadget is a lifesaver. Most of us, though, have a universal translator implanted into our brains, too. We may not always have the communicator." I nodded, clipping the communicator to my gown that I wore. Personally, I hated the finery I had to wear as the Empress. Floaty dresses, tiaras, jewelry and uncomfortable shoes. I was more comfortable in my tunics and leggings, wearing sandals and just wearing clothes for comfort, not decoration.

"Is there anything else, Victoria?" I asked, looking at her.

"One more thing. I know that you have to stay in here during your trip. We have a replicator in each set of quarters," she said, walking to a medium sized opening in the wall. "You can ask the computer to make anything you want and it will replicate it, here."

"Even Cygnarian delicacies?" I asked.

"Yes, Empress. We received the specifications from our admiral. Most Cygnarian dishes are included in here. If it's not, you can input them manually using the computer terminal," Victoria explained. "Would you like something now?" I nodded, wanting a cup of _tala root_ tea. "Go for it…"

"Um, computer?" I squeaked. It chirped. "One cup of _tala root_ tea, hot with a slice of _miranne_." The contraption hummed and glowed before a small porcelain cup with a blue decoration appeared. I picked up the tea, inhaling it deeply. Floating on top was a slice of _miranne_ fruit that added a tartness to my drink. Taking a tentative sip, I moaned. "This is delicious!"

"You should try a human delicacy. Chocolate," Victoria snickered. "It's the best thing ever."

"I'll keep that in mind, Victoria," I laughed. "Thank you for showing me how to work everything in the room. Can I contact you if there is anything I need?"

"Me or Dr. Halé. We will do our best to accommodate your needs, Empress. Now, I need to meet with my security officers. We want to be prepared if anything goes wrong with the negotiations with the Alphan people. Good day, Empress," she said, nodding her head. Turning on her heel, she strode of the room. I sat down at the glass table near the replicator, sipping my tea.

Maralice, my dearest friend and closest confidante, came back shortly after Victoria left. She sat down across from me and gave me a tight grin. "The captain knows…"

"I bet he hates that we deceived him," I frowned.

"From what I saw, he does not hate us. He looked angry and his face flushed. He did _not_ want to send us down to Lapus to meet with Jakob. He was able to connect the dots to what I was saying," Maralice said, taking my hand. "Where did you get the tea?"

"This thing called a replicator," I said, gesturing behind me. "Would you like a cup?"

"Please," she breathed. "With a shot of _tika_."

"Were you that nervous, Maralice?" I asked, ordering her tea.

"I'm nervous for you. We are going down there into the _firatte's _den. Jakob and his men will stare at us and it will not be pleasant at all. I wish we could bring down the captain and his first officer, Commander Whitlock," Maralice said, gripping her teacup. "Then the Alphans will know that this is not a true act of negotiation, but an act of war."

"We want the war to stop, Maralice. I refuse to mate with Jakob. He would tear me apart," I said, remembering the one Alphan I met as a child. He was tall, with long wavy hair that was wild around his head. His face was ridged with an exoskeleton that made him look like a devil. His teeth were sharp and he smelled awful. He had been captured on our home world, ravaging a Cygnarian woman. I do not know what happened to her, but my father knew that I could never be mated to an Alphan. The mere thought of being in the same room with them made my stomach turn.

"You will not mate with that _snirap. _I'd sooner you mate with a human than with Jakob," Maralice growled, her blue eyes blazing. "Now, we have a lot to do. Thankfully, we have a long journey to finalize our plans. Captain Cullen is on board with what we want to do. He does want any harm to come to you or to the Cygnarian people."

"Maralice, I'm curious. I'm having odd reactions whenever anyone mentions the captain," I said, my spots glowing lowly.

"I see that. Perhaps it's due to the fact that we are on board a ship with mostly males?" she shrugged. "I'm feeling out of sorts, too. Ignore it for now. Get some sleep, Bella. We'll work out our plan more tomorrow."

"I don't know if I can sleep, Alice," I whispered, staring out the window.

"Do you want a sedative?" she questioned, brushing my hair back. "I know that this trip has you riddled with anxiety."

"I would like that," I said, putting my empty cup back in the replicator. It whirred to life, making my dirty cup disappear. "We so need this technology on Forx."

"Charanel would love it. He hates doing the dishes," Maralice snickered. "Change into your sleepwear. I'll prepare the sedative." I nodded and walked to my bedroom. I removed my gauzy, flowing blue gown and replaced it with a simple pair of gray leggings and light blue tunic. As I was praying to my mother and father, Maralice entered my bedroom. I kissed my palm, holding it to my heart and murmuring my love to my deceased parents before climbing into the large bed. "This will allow you to sleep for eight cycles. When you awake, we'll discuss our plan for while we are on the Lapus," she said, injecting me with the sedative. "Sleep well, Empress."

"Thank you," I said, curling around a pillow and letting my eyes droop.

I am back on Forx, surrounded by my mother and father, smiling and happy. My brother and I are chasing _rishna flies_, giggling happily in the meadow behind our seaside home. There is one thing that was different in this dream, though. I felt a warmth in my soul that I'd never felt before. I looked around and I saw someone standing behind one of the _pirna _trees. When I got closer, I could not discern any of their facial features, but I knew they were tall, but dwarfed by the tree. I reached the visitor and they disappeared, like a puff of smoke. The warmth dissipated as well and I felt oddly bereft. With a frown, I go back to my family. My brother is clapping his hands gleefully. I join them, enjoying the time with my family, even if it was a dream.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

The rest of the journey, I spend with Maralice, Victoria and Rosalie. We came up with a plan of attack for the negotiations on Lapus. Victoria wanted me to carry a small phaser underneath my dress, but it would be detected by the Alphans security grid. Instead, we went to the holodeck, where Victoria worked with me to manually disable any future attackers. The holodeck was even more impressive than the replicators. The room itself was the size of my quarters, but with a few commands, a fully-decked out gym and workout room appeared. I went to touch a bench, expecting it to be without any sort of form, but discovered it to be solid.

Victoria proved to be an agile fighter and patient teacher. I was never taught how to fight since it was my job to be the Empress, not a warrior. She taught me as much as she could in the days leading up to our arrival at Lapus. We even found a weapon for me to carry with me that wouldn't be detected with the Alphan security grid. I was given a staff with an iridescent blue gem atop of it. However, with a twist of my wrist, four brutal looking blades popped out and were lethal. I'd kill many a holodeck opponents with my new weapon, but they were computer generated. Real warriors were probably more of a challenge and that terrified me.

Maralice also trained. She worked with the men of the vessel. Since she was widowed, she could interact with males. She was far more deadly with her own staff, causing significant damage to Commander Whitlock. She was shocked when she nearly cut off his arm and he laughed. Rosalie fixed him easily and Maralice felt incredibly guilty for her attack. Rosalie explained that Commander Whitlock was a hardened war vet, seeing and feeling numerous injuries. It was after that Commander Whitlock showed Maralice his legs, which were biomechanical implants.

Each night, I had the same dream. I was constantly looking for the shadowed stranger. It was fruitless. Whenever I got close enough, they disappeared. Instead of chasing dreams, I knew I had to focus on the imminent future. Within less than a day, we were going to be in orbit of the wintery world of Lapus and the barbaric inhabits, the Alphans.

Maralice came into our quarters after she met with the captain and his senior staff. She was going to debrief me on what was said. "So, our plan is in place. We're going to maintain an open comm link. Captain Cullen showed me how to do it without it rousing suspicion. They'll be able to hear everything that is said and done down on the surface. I've also spoke briefly to the ambassador on Lapus. They have arranged for lodgings for us, away from Jakob and his cronies. The ambassador seemed like a decent fellow, but I still don't trust him since he is an Alphan."

"I just want this nightmare to be over. I want our worlds to be united in peace," I sighed, twirling my brunette hair. "I don't understand why the Alphans are insistent on continuing this war. How many times have there been delegations sent here, only to be slaughtered by the Crown Prince or Princess? Are they really that evil?"

"I hate to say it, but yes," Maralice frowned. "My Jamel, my beloved mate, saw many of our warriors killed because they were clearly Cygnarians. On the night that he was murdered, a raiding party attacked men as they slumbered. Jamel and his second in command, Camus, were the only ones who were able to fight. Jamel was killed by a massive Alphan while Camus managed to get away, informing the Council of Elders of the attack. We were able to stop the raiding party without further damage to nearby villages, but my beloved is forever with our Gods."

"I pray every night that we are not being led into a trap," I said, twisting the ring of the empress on my finger. It adorned my mother's finger before mine and was passed down for generations. In the white metal sat a blue-ish _ioti_ stone, befitting royalty. It was rare, very rare. The only existing _ioti_ stones were in the ring I wore on my finger and my circlet that I wore for formal occasions, like the day I was crowned as empress or when I will have my bonding ceremony to my mate.

"I do the same, Bella," Maralice said, hugging me close. "Victoria, Rosalie and Jasper have trained us as best they can. It's now in the hands of the Gods." I nodded. "I am giving you a sedative. You need to be awake and aware tomorrow. Get ready for bed, Empress."

I said my prayers to the Gods and asked for strength from my parents. I was twenty-four years old. I missed my family. My father had been dead for less than a year. My mother died from childbirth. Charanel was a big baby and she lost too much blood. My brother was five years younger than me at nineteen, but still acted like a child. In addition to being a big baby, he was also born with some significant developmental delays. Even though he was a full-grown Cygnarian male, he would always have the mind of a child. He was being cared for my father's brother, Noxel and his wife, Elyssea while I was on my journey. They knew that if I did not survive, Charanel would become Emperor, despite his handicap.

Yet another reason why failure was not an option. My brother would make every day _Hisnari_ and gorge himself on _Nari _cakes.

Despite the sedative, my mind would not shut off. I was going stir crazy from being in our quarters for nearly the entire trip to Lapus. We had left a few times to go to the holodeck, but I'd only ever seen my quarters, the transporter room, the hallways and the holodeck, which could be anything you want it to be. I got up and padded to the main living space in our quarters. I ordered cup of _tala root_ tea with a shot of _tika. _I sat on the couch, watching the stars fly by and wished that I could magically make the conflict between Lapus and Forx disappear.

_Life doesn't work like that, Nirabelle. The future of your world is in your hands. You cannot mate with him. You'll die. Your people will die. Not right away, but they will. _

So, that was a bit dramatic.

However, if I did mate with a male who I was not imprinted to, I will die, just as I will die if I meet my mate and do not bond with him in a year. My father had chosen a mate for me on Forx, but before he died, he told me that my future mate also passed on. As far as I knew, I didn't have a mate and would not be able to carry on the line. I couldn't mate with a non-Cygnarian. It was a taboo. Even going to Lapus, completing negotiations with males, was crossing so many cultural boundaries. Counselor Caius wanted to gut me when I said that this was the only way to end the war.

"Nirabelle! You should be in bed," Maralice chided.

"I can't sleep. My mind won't shut off," I said, giving her a half grin. Maralice sat next to me, guiding me down to her lap. Her tiny fingers run through my hair and she hums quietly. Somehow, this calmed me down and I eventually drift to sleep. I stayed asleep until I felt the shudder of the engine. I shot up, my heart stammering in my chest. "Are we here?"

"I think so," Maralice said. The ship moved slowly and was soon in orbit of a green planet, covered in snow and ice. Maralice's communicator chirped on the table.

"Cullen to Maralice," he said.

Maralice got up, picking up the communicator and tapping it. "I'm here, Captain."

"We've arrived at Lapus. We've hailed down to the surface, but no one is responding," Captain Cullen said.

"They won't respond to you. The Empress has to do it," Maralice sighed, tucking my hair behind my ear. "We'll contact the surface, Captain. When we have more information, we'll let you know."

"Understood. Cullen out," he barked, ending the transmission.

"It's show time, Empress," Maralice said, giving me a reassuring smile. "Put your game face on."

"Where did you hear that?" I asked, laughing quietly.

"Commander Whitlock," she blushed, her spots glowing slightly. Getting up, she smoothed her tunic. "I'm going to get ready, Empress. I suggest you do the same. Dress warmly. It's far colder on Lapus than it is on Forx." She walked to her room and her door slid shut.

Doing the same, I wanted nothing more than to soak in a large tub with a ton of bubbles. However, the one luxury that the _Volvo_ didn't have was baths. Only sonic showers. So, I took an obnoxious sonic shower. It irritated my ears. The frequency was painful for my sensitive hearing. Once I was clean, I dressed in blue dress with a silver belt that had an _ioti_ stone as a decoration. I braided my hair, affixing my silver tiara above my forehead.

Picking up my heavy beige cloak, I walked back to the main living room and sat down in front of the computer terminal. Using the frequency that Jakob sent to us, I put out a hail. Maralice was standing behind me, her hand on my shoulder. The computer screen blinked on and the sneering, snarling visage of Crown Prince Jakob filled the terminal. "You made it, Bella."

"You will call the Empress by her rightful name," Maralice snapped.

"Shut your mouth, _b'tak!_ I wasn't talking to you," Jakob growled, his lip pulled back to display his ragged, rotting teeth. I looked at Maralice, pleading with her to calm down. Once she stepped away, I turned back to the animal on the screen. "Now, are you ready to be mated with me? I can't wait to feel you…"

"It's not going to come to that, Jakob," I said coldly. "Get that idea out of your head. If that's why you summoned me is to mate with me, then our time has been wasted." I went to switch off the computer, but he barked a command.

"Wait! I do want to negotiate a peace," he purred, running his fingers through his beard. "Transport down here at the break of dawn. Three hours from now. We will discuss peace." His eyes were rheumy and his voice was almost sing-song. He wasn't serious, but I had to try.

"Three hours, Jakob," I said, ending the transmission.

Those three hours went by so slowly. I'm surprised that I didn't wear a hole in the bulkhead of my quarters. I changed my outfit so I could have something more comfortable underneath my dress. I added a pair of leggings and a long-sleeved shirt. Deciding to forego the uncomfortable footwear, I slipped on some flats. I also added the communicator that Victoria gave me underneath my cloak and a blade at my ankle. I didn't want to be unprepared for this. One day. We had one day to hammer out peace, but I don't think it will happen.

_Not if you have that defeatist attitude, Nirabelle. _

Rosalie and Victoria escorted us to the transporter room. I held my staff and tried to not let my fears show. "Maralice, do you have your communicator transmitting?" Victoria asked from her spot behind the transporter controls.

"Yes. It's being transmitted to the bridge," she replied.

"Good luck," Rosalie said, giving me a reassuring grin.

"We'll need it, Dr. Halé," I sighed. She walked next to Commander Braxas, whispering 'energize.' The tingle of the transporter fills my belly and the safe transporter room morphs to the angry red of the entryway of the Lapus palace. Standing in front of us were three large Alphan men. The man in the center was taller than the rest and I recognized him instantly as Jakob.

"Check them," he barked to his minions. The approached us and began roughly grabbing our bodies. They found my blade and Alice's communicator, crushing it instantly. One man was moving to mine when he got distracted by my breasts and he squeezed them forcefully. I cried out. "Enough! Do not touch her. I want her untainted for when I take her."

"You'll not have me," I hissed. "We came here to work out a peace treaty between our worlds. I will not become your mate."

"I never said you're going to be my mate. Only that I'm taking you," Jakob growled. "Grab the Envoy, throw her into a cell. _Empress_," he sneered, "you better be a good actress because you need to make your vessel go away. You're not going home." He grabbed my arm and dragged me to the throne room. Chained along the walls were various naked women. Some were Alphan, others were different species that I didn't recognize. In the corner, I saw an Alphan male grunting as he took a woman. She was begging, pleading for him to stop, but his movements were relentless. Jakob threw me onto a chair and he punched a few controls on the panel in front of me. "Speak," he grunted.

On the screen, I recognized the bridge of the _Volvo_. A tall man with unruly copper hair stood up. My body warmed, my spots glowed and my heart started to truly beat. "Empress," his voice called to me. It was deep and resonant, but soft-spoken and kind. "Is everything alright?"

"We've arrived on Lapus," I said verbally. Mentally, I hoped that he felt the same as me. I was mated to a human. _If you can hear me inside your head, run your hand through your hair. _He tugged on his bronze strands. "Negotiations will be starting shortly." _They've taken Maralice and removed her communicator. I don't know where they've brought her, but you need to get her back onto your vessel!_ "Before they do, Jakob is preparing a feast for our arrival. A celebrations of sorts. You do not need to stay in orbit."

_Like hell I do,_ I heard in my mind. _Empress, I don't know how I can hear you, or if you can hear me, but we're working to get you out of there. Are you still wearing a communicator? Adjust your cloak if you are. _I shifted slightly, tugging my cloak tighter to my body. On the screen, Captain Cullen nodded and I felt the tingle of the transporter.

"No!" I screamed as I found myself on the bridge of the _Volvo. _"We have to go back. I have to get Maralice!" I sobbed.

"Find her," Captain Cullen growled.

"We can't get a lock, sir. They're sending up ships and preparing to engage in battle," a male said from the front of the bridge.

"We can't transport when the shields are up, Captain," Victoria said. "I'm trying to get a skeletal lock on her, but they may have…Got her!"

"Energize!" Captain Cullen snarled. Maralice appeared next to me, already bloodied and nearly naked. I removed my cloak, covering her body and guarding her from the unknown. "Shields up. Back to Cyganari space, maximum jump speed!"

"I'm so sorry," I cried against my envoy and my friend. She was barely breathing. "I've failed."

"Empress," Captain Cullen whispered, crouching down next to me. "Maralice needs to get to sickbay." _I hope that she's okay. _"Commander Braxas, transport Envoy Maralice to sickbay along with the Empress. Energize." I put my hand on his and the captain transported with us. Dr. Halé moved my friend to the medical bay and I stayed, touching the captain's hand, allowing its warmth to soothe me. He guided me to a small office, not letting go of my hand. "Empress, I'm confused. What happened down there?"

"Jakob tricked us," I sniffled. "He has no wish for peace. Only conquering. Me, specifically. This war will never end…"

"It will end, Empress," he comforted. "Another thing…why can I hear you in my head?"

**A/N: There's our second chapter. A picture of Jakob (also known as a Klingon) is on my tumblr and blog along with some ideas of what their home world looks like. Below are the Cygnari words that Maralice and Nirabelle mentioned. I'll also try to keep up with a glossary for your benefit and mine. **

**Up next will be some information about why Nirabelle can transmit ideas through Edward's head and devising a plan of attack regarding the Alphans. Leave me some! **

_Rishna Flies ~ Fireflies on Forx_

_Tala Root ~ Similar to chamomile tea, but a bit more sweet and bit spicy._

_Miranne ~ a fruit like a lemon, with a peachy aftertaste. _

_Tika ~ Cygnarian liqueur_

_Firatte ~ A carnivore with six legs and two rows of razor sharp teeth, the most dangerous animal on the Cygnarian home world. Similar to a lion. _

_Snirap ~ Cygnarian swear word, piece of shit_

_Pirna trees ~ a tall palm tree, the size of a California redwood._

_Ioti stones ~ moonstones with a pink-ish, pearlescent sheen_

_Hisnari ~ a celebration on Forx; people exchange gifts and eat special cakes, Nari cakes_ _in celebration of this holy day when the Cygnarian people were created. _

_Nari cakes ~ like petit fours, eaten on Hisnari_

_B'tak ~ Alphan swear word, bitch. _


	3. Chapter 3

**So, something completely different…I'm struggling with writer's block and I'm hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group's walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I've always been interested in **_**Star Trek**_** and science fiction. Even before **_**Twilight,**_** it caught my attention. I even wrote some **_**Star Trek: Deep Space Nine**_** fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn't really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I'm not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own **_**Star Trek, **_**which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Chapter Three**

**BPOV**

_Jakob threw me onto a chair and he punched a few controls on the panel in front of me. "Speak," he grunted. _

_On the screen, I recognized the bridge of the Volvo. A tall man with unruly copper hair stood up. My body warmed, my spots glowed and my heart started to truly beat. "Empress," his voice called to me. It was deep and resonant, but soft-spoken and kind. "Is everything alright?"_

"_We've arrived on Lapus," I said verbally. Mentally, I hoped that he felt the same as me. I was mated to a human. _If you can hear me inside your head, run your hand through your hair._ He tugged on his bronze strands. "Negotiations will be starting shortly." _They've taken Maralice and removed her communicator. I don't know where they've brought her, but you need to get her back onto your vessel!_ "Before they do, Jakob is preparing a feast for our arrival. A celebrations of sorts. You do not need to stay in orbit."_

Like hell I do,_ I heard in my mind. _Empress, I don't know how I can hear you, or if you can hear me, but we're working to get you out of there. Are you still wearing a communicator? Adjust your cloak if you are._ I shifted slightly, tugging my cloak tighter to my body. On the screen, Captain Cullen nodded and I felt the tingle of the transporter. _

"_No!" I screamed as I found myself on the bridge of the _Volvo_. "We have to go back. I have to get Maralice!" I sobbed. _

"_Find her," Captain Cullen growled. _

"_We can't get a lock, sir. They're sending up ships and preparing to engage in battle," a male said from the front of the bridge. _

"_We can't transport when the shields are up, Captain," Victoria said. "I'm trying to get a skeletal lock on her, but they may have…Got her!"_

"_Energize!" Captain Cullen snarled. Maralice appeared next to me, already bloodied and nearly naked. I removed my cloak, covering her body and guarding her from the unknown. "Shields up. Back to Cyganari space, maximum jump speed!" _

"_I'm so sorry," I cried against my envoy and my friend. She was barely breathing. "I've failed."_

"_Empress," Captain Cullen whispered, crouching down next to me. "Maralice needs to get to sickbay." _I hope that she's okay._ "Commander Braxas, transport Envoy Maralice to sickbay along with the Empress. Energize." I put my hand on his and the captain transported with us. Dr. Halé moved my friend to the medical bay and I stayed, touching the captain's hand, allowing its warmth to soothe me. He guided me to a small office, not letting go of my hand. "Empress, I'm confused. What happened down there?"_

"_Jakob tricked us," I sniffled. "He has no wish for peace. Only conquering. Me, specifically. This war will never end…"_

"_It will end, Empress," he comforted. "Another thing…why can I hear you in my head?"_

**EPOV**

I watched the Empress as she squirmed in her seat. Tears were falling down her pale cheeks. I wanted to touch her, hug her and make all of her pain go away. She was already going against protocol by talking to me, but to hear her in my mind? I needed to step away, despite every bone in my body wishing to stay with her. "I'm sorry, Empress," I murmured. "I need to head back to the bridge. There were several Alphan ships preparing to…" The ship rolled. The Empress fell off her seat and into my arms. My entire body sizzled, warming me from the inside.

"Whitlock to Cullen!" barked my communicator.

"Cullen here," I responded, holding the Empress against my chest.

"Get your ass up here! We've got four Alphan battle cruisers on our tail," Jasper growled.

"On my way," I answered, tapping my communicator. Empress Nirabelle was clinging to me. "Empress, I have to go back up to the bridge."

"Can I stay with you?" she asked, her blue eyes dim and sad.

"Yes. Come with me," I said, taking her hand. She lifted our joined hands, pressing them to her cheek. She shuddered but appeared to calm immediately. I also felt more focused. She looked up, her eyes determined. I led her to the turbolift, barking to the computer, "Bridge." The ship was hit twice more as we rode to the bridge. Exiting the lift, I guided the Empress to the seat to my left. "Stay here, Empress." Turning to my crew. "Status."

"Shields are holding. We have two Alphan war birds and one battle cruiser," Jasper explained. "We have yet to return fire."

"You initially said that there were four," I said, arching a brow.

"One disappeared, sir," Commander Braxas said from tactical. "It was there and then it was gone."

"The Alphans have something called cloaking technology," Empress Nirabelle explained. "The ship is not gone. It's just cloaked, hidden. They cannot fire while cloaked."

"How can you find these cloaked ships? How many of them are there?" Jasper growled. His eyes were blazing and he was ready to attack the Empress. I stepped between them, glaring at my first officer angrily.

"I don't know, Commander," she said, shrinking back. "I think they may have two or three ships that can be cloaked, but we don't honestly know. It's new technology. One of those ships are what caused the death of my father." Her voice hitched and she twisted her ring on her finger.

"Be respectful, Whitlock," I snapped as our ship took another hit, causing us to deviate our course. "Drop out of jump speed. Ready phasers and torpedoes. This shit is ending now. Commander Braxas, did you get a read on their tactical systems?"

"They are armed to the teeth, Captain, but their ships are older and in disrepair. The war birds only have forward shielding. The battle cruiser has no shield that I can detect," Victoria explained.

"Commander, fire at the lead ship. Only to disable, not destroy," I said.

"Captain," Jasper hissed.

"I want to get out of this with a diplomatic solution, Commander Whitlock," I growled. "Yes, the Alphans are monsters, but I have to try. Fire, Commander!" On the view screen, she shot two torpedoes to the battle cruiser. She hit one of their engine necelles, crippling their jump capabilities. The other hit along the wing of the battle cruiser, causing a good part of the hull to vaporize.

"Sir, we're being hailed," said Lt. Riley.

"On screen," I commanded. The ugly face of Crown Prince Jakob filled the screen. He was seething. "You opened fire on a Federation vessel. That's considered to be an act of war. You do not want to quarrel with the Federation. You will lose."

"You took what was mine, _b'tak!_"Jakob snapped, pointing at the Empress. "That _pinotte_ is mine. She will be screaming my name as I…"

"The only person who will be screaming will be you," I said, my anger growing in my belly.

_He is only baiting you, Captain_, came the soothing voice of Empress Nirabelle. _I'm not his. Nor will I ever be_.

"I beg to differ, you _extap_," Jakob said smugly. "This is not over. Bella will be my _pinotte_. Her _funoch_ will be bleeding from my…" He stood up and grabbed his penis. "_Oo-out!_"

The screen blinked back to the ships hovering in front of us. The ships turned around and flew back toward Lapus. Jakob's ship had to be towed by the two war birds. I chuckled at that. However, I could feel Empress Nirabelle's fear. I had to get her off this bridge and we had to find that cloaked vessel. "Damage report," I asked.

"Just some minor damage to the shield emitters near the crew quarters," Jasper said. "Lt. Morgainne already has a repair team on their way to correct it. Minor casualties, sprained ankles and such are being reported from sickbay. Envoy Maralice is in surgery."

"What are we going to do?" asked Victoria.

"Head back to Cygnarian space for the time being," I said. "We need to strategize about what should be done. Commander Braxas, try and find out how to find that cloaked ship. Commander Whitlock, help her. Try to tap into the Cygnarian database for any information on the cloaking technology. Lt. Riley, set a course back to Forx."

"Yes, sir," Lt. Riley said, nodding. He made the course corrections and I ordered him to go to jump speed.

I looked at the Empress. She was barely hanging on by a thread. "Let me escort you back to your quarters, Empress. You need some rest," I said gently. She blushed and her spots glowed. "Commander Whitlock, the bridge is yours." I led the Empress onto the turbolift. She was twisting her ring, staring longingly at my hands. Once the doors closed, I took her tiny hand in mine. Her spots glowed brighter and she sighed. The warmth I'd felt before was more pronounced and bats had taken up residence in my stomach.

_I know you have questions, Captain. I will explain everything in my quarters,_ she said, her thumb rubbing over my knuckles. _I promise. _

I nodded, letting her hold my hand as we rode down to her quarters. Exiting on the sixth deck, we arrived at her quarters and she removed her tiara. Her regal posture deflated and she looked so lost. "Empress?" I whispered.

"Call me Bella," she murmured, looking back at me. "Please?"

"Of course, Bella," I smiled. "Do you want something to eat? Drink?"

"_Tala root _tea," she said, falling onto the couch. "With a slice of _miranne_."

"Computer, one shot of tequila and a cup of _tala root _tea with a slice of _miranne,_" I ordered.

"What's tequila?" Bella asked, her face adorably confused.

"It's a liquor," I chuckled as the computer whirred to life. "After _that_, I need a shot to calm my nerves."

"Can I get a shot of tequila, too?" Bella blushed. "I've yet to try any human delicacies."

"Computer, one more shot of tequila," I said. Another shot glass appeared and I carried the two shot glasses along with her tea to the couch. I handed her the tequila, which she took. Her blue eyes appraised the clear liquid and she sniffed it. Her nose wrinkled adorably. "It's strong."

"How do you do this shot?" she asked, looking at me with her large blue eyes. "Do you sip it or all in one gulp?"

"All in one gulp," I said, clinking my glass with hers. "Bottoms up."

"Um, bottoms up," she giggled, her face turning up into a curious smile. We both slammed the tequila. I shuddered, putting the glass down onto the table. Bella swallowed it, blinking rapidly. "Wow! That's definitely stronger than _tika_. It'll make my spots fall off."

"Unlikely, Bella," I said, smiling softly.

"Captain," she began.

"Edward. Call me Edward. If I can hear you in my brain, I think we're past formalities," I quipped.

"Edward," she whispered. My name sounded foreign on her lips. She repeated it a few times before she looked at me. "Edward. That's a strong name."

"Thank you," I blushed. "I always thought it was old fashioned, but my mom insisted on naming me after my grandfather."

"I was also named for my mother's mother," Bella smiled. "She was Nirabelle, as well. It is a great honor to carry such a special gift like a name. If I have a daughter, she will be named for my mother, Riannelle."

"Both names are beautiful," I said.

"Thank you, Edward," she said, taking my hand. "I know you have questions. And I promised to answer them." She sighed, tracing the veins on my hand. "How much do you know about my people?"

"Not much, honestly. The only things I know are what I read in the report sent to me by my commanding officer. You're a very private species, but you wish to gain admittance into the Federation. You've applied several times but have been denied due to the war between the Alphans and the Cygnarians," I explained. "The Council of Elders set up some pretty strict rules regarding your interaction with my crew, which I know they're going to call for my head when they see us together. Counselor Caius was adamant that you not speak to any man. He said it was taboo."

"It is," Bella explained. "On our world, we have one true love. One soul mate. Typically, that soul mate is chosen for you by your parents since they have the same genetic makeup as you. They can recognize your imprint."

"Imprint?" I asked.

"It's how we describe the connection we have," Bella said, her spots glowing brightly. "My father had found my imprint on Forx. I was to be mated to him by the time I was twenty-five. However, my imprint was killed in the war. I was destined to be an unmated Empress, never carrying on the family line. The next heir coming from my brother, Charanel."

"Couldn't you imprint with another Cygnarian?" I questioned.

"No. My Cygnarian imprint was the only one of his kind," Bella explained.

"Cygnarian?"

"Do you see how my spots glow? How I can speak to you in your mind? The warmth you feel?" she whispered. "The need to constantly touch?"

"Yes," I murmured.

"It is rare for a Cygnarian female to have another imprint. Even rarer for that imprint to be someone off world. We are mated, Edward," she explained, her eyes shining with a glimmer of happiness but a great deal of fear. "It is instantaneous, but not complete."

"What do you mean?"

"Our bond grows stronger with touch and with time. The longer you are bonded with your imprint, the more unbreakable your connection becomes. My mother and father, at the time of my mother's death, had been bonded for over fifty hundred years," Bella said. "They were so close that my father was at a loss after she died during the birth of my brother. My father almost died with her, but seeing me and my brother, who was very sick, gave him the strength to continue on."

"I'm sorry about your mother," I said, threading my fingers through hers.

"I miss her every day. A bond between parent and child is almost as strong as your mate, but not quite," she blushed, her spots glowing. "Our bond, though, needs to be completed within one year of meeting and imprinting."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"We need to mate, but with you being human and our rules, they will never allow our union," she said, standing up and looking out the window. "The Council of Elders are so adamant in their rules; that they do not care about the feelings of their people. One man mated with a woman from a nearby Reman colony. He begged to be mated with her. The Council denied his request. This was shortly after the death of my father and I was grieving. I couldn't overturn their ruling. The man and his Reman imprint died because they could not completely form their bond."

"So, we could die? Couldn't we bond or mate or whatever, form the bond and then…" I began. "I can't believe I said that. That goes against everything I believe. We have rules, too…"

"We could, but I'd be cast off Forx, forever banned from my home world. I'd never be allowed to see my brother again," she said. "I can't allow that to happen. We have to force the Council of Elders to see reason. The people of Forx are becoming extinct. We used to have nearly a billion people on my world. With the casualties of war and the need to imprint in order to mate, that has since dwindled to half that. Our scientists have projected that in fifty years, it will be even smaller. We are having more male babies than female. If something doesn't happen soon, Forx and all Cygnarians will be a figment of your imagination."

I got up and walked over to her. Tentatively, I put my hand on her shoulder. She turned, wrapping her tiny arms around my waist and crying quietly. I held her in my arms, relishing in the feeling of her soft body pressed to mine. Her spicy scent was surrounding me. Her mind reached out to mine. _For the first time since my father died, I feel safe, Edward. It's because of our bond. I know you'll protect me. I've seen it. We need to convince the Council of Elders to allow this. They need to allow our mating. _

"That's our first step," I whispered against her mahogany curls. "The second step is to get Forx admitted to the Federation. With the Alphans firing on a Federation vessel, they've committed an act of war against us. I need to contact my father about getting Forx the protection it needs. That is something that I can handle. Diplomacy at its finest."

"What about the Alphans and that cloaking field?" she asked.

"Commander Braxas and Commander Whitlock are brilliant at that sort of thing. However, anything your government can provide for us regarding that technology would be very helpful," I said.

"We don't have much, but whatever we have, you can use," Bella replied, her brows furrowing. "I'm sorry that you are dragged into this and that…"

"Bella, I'm not," I murmured. I cupped her cheek. Her skin was so soft. Her spots glowed brighter than I'd ever seen them. Her blue eyes also began to glow as she moved closer to me. With a gasp, she stepped back.

_We cannot! If we _senelle, _then we must begin the mating process,_ she said, her voice panicking in my head.

"Senelle?" I asked.

"Our lips touch," she muttered. Her mind showed me what she meant and it was an innocent kiss. My heart yearned for it. I wanted it.

"Oh, a kiss. If we kiss," I said.

"Kiss," she repeated. "Yes."

"I do have one question, though," I pondered. "You said that your father had chosen a Cygnarian man for you to imprint with…yet, you're still alive?"

"I hadn't met him. If I had met him and we didn't bond, I would have died," Bella explained, staring at my mouth. She licked her pink lips and gave me a pout. _I think it's best you go. The pull I feel for you, it's unbearably strong. I really want to feel your lips against mine. _

"Can I see you again?" I asked.

"Yes, but I need to refocus my thoughts," she murmured. "I need strength from my family and to meditate. I think that tequila has made me…"

"Drunk?"

"Not drunk, but impaired," she answered, her eyes glowing slightly. "I also need to check on Maralice. How do I get from sickbay from here?"

"I'll send down Commander Braxas when she's available," I said.

"Thank you, Edward," she murmured, giving me the greeting. I did the same and turned to leave her quarters. Tapping my communicator, I asked Commander Braxas to escort the Empress to sickbay when she's available. Victoria said that she'd come down now since she needed the Empress's access to get into the Cygnarian database regarding the cloaking device. I went back to the bridge, checking on the status of the repairs to our shield emitters. They were nearly finished. Nodding, I left Lt. Riley in charge of the bridge, as Commander Whitlock was in his office, trying to find the cloaked vessel. I went into my ready room, sitting heavily in my chair and wracking my brain over what to do.

I pulled up the communications array and sent a hail to Galaxy Fleet Headquarters in Seattle. My father's assistant, Commander Laurent, answered. He was a Turulian, a highly logical species and very loyal. Commander Laurent had dark skin with cropped hair, nearly bald. His ears were pointed on the tips and connected to his jaw. Commander Laurent patched me through to my father. "Edward, how's the mission."

"Not good, sir," I muttered. "This Jakob character does not want to negotiate a peace between the Alphans and Cygnarians. His goal is to rape and kill the Empress."

"You got her out, right?" my father asked.

"Yes, but not without exposing her to males on board. Which brings me to my next issue, she and I have this bond thing. I can hear the Empress in my head. According to her, I'm her imprint as she's mine," I said, blushing slightly.

"What does that mean?"

"We're each other's soul mates, supposedly," I sighed, scrubbing my face. "It's a taboo for a Cygnarian to bond with someone off world. But, according Empress Nirabelle, the war and this need to imprint is slowly killing off their species. In addition to that, the Alphan's opened fire on our vessel. We have some minor damage, but…"

"It's an act of war," my father frowned.

"I would like to end this diplomatically, but this prince is an animal. I'm sending you a copy of the hail from the attack. He graphically describes what he will do to the Empress," I growled. I sent him the file. I could hear Jakob's deep, snarling voice over the comm link. My father gasped at the end of the transmission. "This is what we're dealing with. I do not think that they are amenable to peace. They are looking for a fight. These Alphans also have new technology. The Empress called it cloaking technology. It made one of their ships disappear. Our scanners can't detect it. For all we know, the ship is flying into Cygnarian space, heading straight for Forx. They need our help."

"This is troublesome. Cloaking technology? If in the wrong hands, it could obliterate the Federation," he growled. "I'll speak to the Federation president. We have to have a majority to provide assistance. Send me a report of everything you've told me. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," I nodded.

"And this imprinting business, I need you to stay away from the Empress," my father said, his eyes blazing.

My heart jumped and I paled, feeling like all of my strength was zapped from me, "No," I whispered. I started panicking, clutching my chest and losing all control…

"Edward?"

"I can't stay away, Dad," I squeaked, the tightness in my chest dissipating. "This connection, it's physical as well as telepathic."

"I can see that," he said, arching a brow. "I'm just concerned that you went against the Council of Elders decree that the Empress not be in any contact with men."

"It was a bit of a cluster fuck, Dad," I said, trying to keep my temper in check. "Jakob was making her hail us, saying that she didn't need help, but then her voice chimes in my head with what was really going on. Her envoy was taking prisoner and she was brutalized in the ten minutes that she was taken. I made an executive decision. Yes, it meant that the Empress came in contact with men, but she's alive. Lesser of two evils."

"You're right," Carlisle sighed. "You have to contact the council. You know that, right?"

"Yes. I wanted you to know first. I need your support on this because of the act of aggression from the Alphans. They are a warrior species, with no sense of honor. They wish to conquer, rape and pillage. I hate to say it, but this is bigger than me. The Cygnarians need our assistance, our protection," I said, my heart pounding in anxiety. "We can't let them die or be conquered by the Alphans."

"Send me a report. The Federation president and the Federation council will hear of this new development. Once I have more information, I'll pass it along to you. Since you are the liaison to the Cygnarian people, you will be the point person in this mission," Carlisle said. "I'll send word to the ships along the Federation border to be ready to come to your aide. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," I nodded.

"And Edward, I'm glad you made it out of there alive. The situation with the Council of Elders will be hairy, but hopefully, they'll listen to reason," my father said softly.

"They have to. If not, they're dooming their Empress and me to death," I said grimly. His eyebrows shot up. "It'll be in my report. Cullen out." I turned to my tablet, working on writing everything down for the report for my father, the Federation president and Federation council. I worked for over an hour, reliving the whole thing and my body in near turmoil.

_Edward, I can feel your anxiety from sickbay,_ Bella thought to me. _I know you're scared. You're trained not to show fear. I'm scared, too…_

_How can you…? Are you empathic? _I asked, putting my tablet down.

_Only with my imprint. You noticed that when we touch, we feel calm? _She asked.

I nodded. _Yes. My focus increases, too._

_It is how imprints know what each other need. It usually takes years to create this level of intimacy. I think that you're human, it's changing the chemistry of our bond. We may have less time than I described, _Bella explained. _I just pray that the Council listens to what we have to say._

_My father, the Admiral that your father worked with, said that I needed to stay away from you…I felt physically ill, _I thought miserably.

_I felt that, Edward. We cannot be apart, nor can we be too close. Our need to mate will become overwhelming, _she sighed.

_How's Alice? _ I asked.

_She's…bad. I cannot speak of it or think of it. When you are done with your report, can you please come to sickbay? I need your touch, _Bella pleaded.

_I'll be there in a half hour,_ I soothed. She cooed mentally, murmuring something in Cygnarian before her soft voice left my brain.

I felt a little more put together after our mental chat. I finished my report, making some corrections before sending it to Galaxy Fleet Headquarters. Upon receipt of my report from Commander Laurent, I left my ready room and checked on the bridge. Things were going smoothly and we were nearly out of Alphan space.

I walked to Jasper's office. He was pouring over the information that Cygnarians had gathered about the cloaking device. However, there wasn't a lot since their scanners were not as sophisticated as ours. All of their resources went towards maintaining the crucial systems for their ships, like engines, shielding, and weapons. Their fleet was small, but powerful. However, the Alphan's ships were much bigger and more abundant. The Cygnarians were out-manned and out-gunned. Jasper was curt and angry as he went over what he found, barely giving me the time of day. Not wanting to argue with him, I left him and went down to sickbay.

Rose was in her office while Bella was seated next to a still very beat up Maralice. Bella looked at me, her eyes shimmering with tears as she held Maralice's hand. "Captain?" called Rose.

"Report," I murmured as I slipped into her office.

"Those Alphans are fucking animals," Rose sneered. "Within the ten minutes she was out of contact with the Empress, they…" Rose didn't continue, but showed me pictures. My anger quickly mounted and I shot up from my seat. "I've repaired the internal damage. I'm waiting until she's more stable before I work on the damage to the bones. Envoy Maralice has a great deal of recuperation to contend with, sir."

"I can't believe the amount of damage they caused," I muttered, hatred coloring my tone. "Will she make a full recovery?"

"Physically, yes. I'm concerned with her mental well-being. I can sense, even her sedated state, a great deal of shame over what happened to her. She also feels guilt," Rose frowned. "Maralice will need a great deal of counseling to get over this, but she should make a full recovery." Rose took my arm, leading me into the adjacent science lab. Once the door shut, she arched a brow at me. "What I'm concerned about is the sheer amount of love and lust I'm feeling from both you and the Empress. What's going on?"

"Love?" I asked, a goofy, crooked grin spreading over my face. Rose smacked me. "Hey! I'm still your commanding officer, Rosalie!"

"You looked like my baby brother when he saw his first pair of tits," Rose smirked. I rolled my eyes. "You may be my commanding officer, but you're also my dearest friend. What's going on? Tell me or I'll relieve you of duty."

"On what grounds?" I challenged.

"Diminished mental capabilities," she retorted. "Spill."

"I feel like I'm at the academy all over again," I deadpanned. "Abridged version…" I told her briefly about the connection that Bella and I share, its ramifications and the weird physical quirks, such as shared telepathy, empathic connection and physical illness at the thought of separation. Rose ran a scan of me, noting no abnormalities. However, she ran an experiment, suggesting that I distance myself from Bella and the same feeling of panic and distress washed over me. Bella felt it and found us in the science lab.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her spots glowing dimly and her eyes appraising me.

"Me, being a scientist. Captain Cullen told me of your…what is it called?"

"We are imprinted to each other," we both responded, obviously our minds in mental sync.

"Freaky," Rose said, arching a brow. Bella walked over to me, taking my hand and sighing contentedly. "I'm going to check on Maralice."

"Thank you for all that you've done, Dr. Halé," Bella said quietly. Rose nodded, slipping back into sickbay. Once she was gone, Bella cuddled in my arms. I held her tightly, enjoying the warmth of having her near me. "I don't know how I'd cope if…if you weren't here, Edward."

"I spoke briefly with Rose. How is she?" I asked, guiding her to a set of chairs.

"Those _chenkaks_ took her honor," Bella snarled, her eyes dimming and turning completely black. "They desecrated her body with their actions and…and humiliated her family and the family of her deceased mate. Dr. Halé explained that the damage to her reproductive system is great, but your medical technology should heal her completely."

"Rose can sense emotions. She's half Solarian and she said that she can sense shame and guilt from Maralice," I frowned.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Bella said, tracing my palm. "Our bodies are only for our mates, not as playthings for those _firattes_." I blushed, looking down at our hands. _What is it, Edward?_

"I've been married before," I muttered. "To Rose. Dr. Halé."

"Mating is different than marriage," Bella said. "Marriage can be broken. Your feelings toward Dr. Halé are almost like she is a sibling, not a mate. You bicker like I do with my brother, Charanel. You did not share a soul with Dr. Halé. There is love and respect between you two, but what we feel is different. It transcends love…"

"There is just so much that I'm confused about," I said. "How is this…our relationship…going to work?"

"Your job is here, on this vessel. I know that. My job is to rule my people," she said. "I do not wish to take you away from your duty, nor would you do that for me. Right now, we need to focus on the task at hand, allowing our mating to happen and getting Forx the protection it needs from your Federation."

"It will take a week to get back to Forx," I said. "We have that long to create an argument for our mating. Our biggest hope is to use the imminent extinction to our favor."

"I think that we need to contact Counselor Marcusi. Some Cygnarians have enhanced powers. He can see strengths in relationships and his mate, Didyme, is only half Cygnarian," Bella said, giving me a secretive smile.

"How is that possible?" I asked.

"Her mother was a human, father was Cygnarian. He was stationed near the Federation border when he met this human woman. They imprinted and mated. Cygnarian genetics made Didyme look nearly fully Cygnarian. The only difference you can see are in her spots. They do not glow as brightly as mine or Maralice's. In order to hide his transgression, Didyme's father surgically altered his mate, but she was a Cygnarian-human hybrid."

"Does Counselor Marcusi know?" I questioned.

"He does and he loves her all of the same," Bella said, reaching up to caress my face. She giggled. "Prickly!"

"Oh, my beard," I chuckled. "It's a trait I inherited from my father. My beard, the hair on my face, grows very quickly."

She rubbed my face, almost purring. "I like it," she said. "You are very handsome, Edward."

I blushed, my face probably turning crimson. "It is you that is gorgeous, Bella. But thank you."

I reached up and ran my finger down her spots. She shuddered, leaning forward. Her lips pouted, wanting a kiss. With a gasp, she sat back, taking my hand and holding it in her lap. "You are too tempting, Edward," she said, her spots almost simmering beneath her skin. "Touching a Cygnarian's spots is quite the aphrodisiac."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know," I apologized.

"Keep it on file," she purred. With a loud huff, she got up. "I need to go back to my quarters, Edward. I must meditate. Like I said, you are tempting. If we were fully bonded, our clothes would have been long gone by now."

"You're telling me," I snorted, shifting so my arousal was hidden.

"Tomorrow, we must contact Counselor Marcusi," she said, standing up. "He should be able to see our connection through the comm link." She pressed her hand to my cheek. "_Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari." _

"That is beautiful," I whispered. "What does it mean?"

"It is how Cygnarians say 'I love you,'" she smiled softly. "Translated, it means, 'You are my heart, I am your soul. My love for you is for always.' I've heard it said between my mother and father, never truly understanding its meaning. Now, I do."

"Say it again," I murmured, pressing my hand to her neck, just above her glowing spots.

She gasped, her blue eyes filling with tears. "_Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari." _

I repeated it, but it sounded clumsy on my tongue. Bella just stared at me, her eyes filled with such devotion. "I love you sounds so trite compared to that…"

"I know that in your heart, you believe that you are my heart and that I'm your soul," she said. She took my hand and pressed a soft kiss to my palm. "Tomorrow, Edward."

"Until then," I said as I watched her glide out of the science lab.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

Sleep eluded me. I lay in my bed in my quarters, staring at my palm. Where Bella's lips touched my skin, it was sizzling and warm and perfect. Feeling her soft body against mine, made me feel complete. Hearing her sweet, melodic voice made my cock grow and knowing that she _loved _me…there were no words to express the elation I felt.

The scientist in me, though, couldn't make sense of it. Love at first sight? Mental telepathy? Physiological reaction at being apart? With a growl, I got up and dressed in some civilian clothes. I was hungry but being in my quarters made me yearn to hold Bella in my arms as we slept. I walked to the mess hall. Sitting down with my late night snack and my tablet, I lost myself in the preliminary report about the cloaked vessel.

Jasper walked in, looking bedraggled and haggard. He was shocked to see me at the table. "I figured you'd be tapping the Empress's ass," he snorted.

"Commander," I warned.

"Sorry," he said, sitting across from me. "The sparks coming off of you two were…" He whistled lowly.

"They were something else," I said, sipping my tea. I figured I'd try the _tala root_ variety like Bella had ordered in her quarters. I didn't care for the _miranne_, but with a slice of lemon? It was really good. "Are you okay?"

"Not really," he sighed, scrubbing his face. "This thing with the Envoy…I worked with her to fight. She was allowed to interact with men since she was married or mated before. But, there's something about her that just _draws me in_. You know?"

"Can you hear her inside your head?" I asked, half-joking.

"Um, sometimes?" he replied. "I asked her about it but she left almost immediately, muttering in Cygnarian. She kept repeating something over again. Jamel?"

"I could guess that Jamel was the name of her mate. He was killed as far as I know. From what the Empress said, Cygnarians mate only once and the fact that she's bonded with you, must confuse her since she probably feels like she's cheating on Jamel," I shrugged. "I don't know."

"So, I'm bonded to Maralice?" Jasper questioned.

"I don't know. I can ask the Empress," I said. Jasper nodded, clearly uncomfortable with talking about his feelings. "Explain some of this stuff in this report. It's not making sense."

"Oh, right. This is purely speculation, but from the readings we took just before the ship disappeared showed a spike in gamma radiation. That spike stayed nearby, located off our starboard side." Jasper pointed to a diagram of the _Volvo. _"We ran some scans, looking for that same spike. Roughly four light years behind us, we have a tail."

"The cloaked vessel," I murmured.

"We think. Now, we need to find a way to counteract that cloak. The gamma radiation is spread pretty thin and we don't think that it's the vessel, just the exhaust from their _necelles_ or residual energy from the cloak itself," Jasper explained. "Right now, we're trying to figure out to disable it. Possibly using the deflector to emit _omichron_ particles to counteract the gamma radiation. Purge the antimatter from the _necelles_."

"Try using the _omichron _particles first. I'd rather not purge the antimatter from the _necelles_ just yet," I said. "Is there a Cygnarian colony nearby?"

"From the database, they have a small colony in the _H'Nan_ system," Jasper said.

"Perhaps the Empress can make a visit to see her people?" I shrugged. "I'll mention it to her when I see her tomorrow. Or rather, later today."

"What about the rules about no males?" Jasper asked, his voice filled with curiosity. I shrugged because I truly didn't know. I'd probably know more once I spoke with Counselor Marcusi. "What about the Admiral?"

"I sent a report, describing all that happened today. He was going to speak with the Federation president and Federation council. Nearby ships have been put on alert, though," I said. "We will be having a briefing tomorrow afternoon once Rose finishes up the treatments for Maralice."

"Have you sent out the information?' Jasper asked.

"Just did," I said, showing him the screen on my tablet. "I'm going to head to bed, Commander. I know that today has been trying…"

"That's putting it mildly," Jasper said dryly.

"But, you did some great work today," I smiled, getting up from my seat. I finished my tea, placing it back in the replicator. "I'll see you tomorrow, Commander."

"Good night, Captain," Jasper said, smirking.

I managed to fall asleep and got around three hours of rest before I woke up to my alarm. With all that had happened, I needed to get a workout in. I dressed in a pair of shorts and t-shirt, walking to the holodeck. I chose my usual workout program and spent an hour and half running in early twenty-first century Chicago along Lake Michigan. My ancestors lived there most of their lives until my great grandfather moved to Seattle to join the new Galaxy Fleet. Finishing my run, I ended the program. Walking back to my quarters, I took a sonic shower and dressed in my uniform.

_Edward, would you like to join me in my quarters for breakfast? _Bella asked me mentally. _We need to discuss our conversation with Counselor Marcusi. _

_On my way,_ I smiled, getting on the turbolift to Bella's quarters. After a short ride and a walk to her quarters, I rang the door chime. The door slid open with an exhausted Bella standing on the other side. As soon as I walked in, she fell in my arms and inhaled deeply. I was certain I did the same. She clung to me. "Are you alright?"

"I couldn't rest," she murmured, her cheek pressed to my sternum. "I had _berannes_ about what happened yesterday. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the evil face of Jakob and that room. I woke up screaming. I gave up trying to rest and spent the night with Maralice until Dr. Halé kicked me out so she could finish her medical treatments."

"I had trouble sleeping, too. Though my worries were about the entire situation and how resolve this diplomatically," I said. "I also couldn't stop thinking of you."

"In each of my _berannes_, you were my hero. You are my hero, Edward," she said, snuggling closer. I smiled against her hair, running my fingers down her espresso ringlets. "Now, I know you are busy. We need to call Counselor Marcusi. He lives separately from his brothers since he is mated."

"Counselor Aro and Counselor Caius are not?" I asked.

"They have taken a vow of celibacy in order to protect the Cygnarian people," she explained. "Their family would not allow all of their children to take the same vow. Their name must be carried on. Counselor Marcusi is the oldest brother and he was given an imprint, Didyme, who I told you about yesterday." She led me to the computer terminal and encouraged me to sit on the chair. She knelt next to me.

_No,_ I thought, guiding her back to her feet. _I do not want you kneeling…_I guided her to my lap, where she sat down on my thigh. "Much better."

"Is this a human custom?" she asked, her blue eyes twinkling despite their exhaustion.

"Kind of," I chuckled. "It's wrong for an empress to be kneeling on the floor. You are royalty."

"No, I'm not. I'm Bella," she said, caressing my cheek. Her eyes widened. "Your face is smooth!"

"I just shaved, Bella," I laughed. "In an hour, it'll be prickly again."

She leaned forward, pressing her cheek to mine. With a low, gentle purr, she nuzzled my face. Her mind was repeating that Cygnarian phrase. I wanted to badly cup her chin and press my mouth to hers. We couldn't. We needed to get the permission of the Council of Elders. I did not want Bella to be banished from her home. _Bella, I love this. But…we need to stop._

"I'm sorry," she said, her gaze dropping to the floor.

"Don't be. We are definitely testing our restraint," I chuckled, raising her face to mine. "I know that kissing begins the mating bond. What you were doing made me want to kiss you." Her spots glowed along with her eyes. "Call Counselor Marcusi."

With a sigh, she accessed the communications array, typing in a certain code. The Cygnarian crest filled the screen as we waited for the hails to be answered. When it did, Counselor Marcusi's face appeared. "Empress, I am pleased to see you are alright. What news do you have?"

"Not good, I'm afraid," she said. "Jakob tricked us. He only wanted to conquer and rape me. In fact, some of his men desecrated Maralice. She is in surgery as we speak."

"Will she be alright?" Marcusi asked, his own spots glowing in concern.

"The doctor said that she will be fine physically but her mental and emotional well-being are in turmoil," Bella explained.

"Empress, I am so sorry about your Envoy. I know that Maralice was a good friend," Marcusi said. "Her connections to you were strong, almost like mother to daughter. I am curious, though. I see another, stronger connection surrounding you. It's as bright as I've ever seen. Most mates are not that strong…"

"That's because I have met my imprint," Bella explained, moving the screen so I could be included.

Marcusi's eyes narrowed as he appraised me. "He's a human."

"So is Didyme, half human," Bella argued.

"You are not supposed to know that, Empress. If anyone found out…" Marcusi sputtered. He glanced back at me and then to Bella. "You are one soul."

"Is that different from usual?" I asked.

"Yes, Captain," Marcusi said. "Most imprints are soul mates. Your souls recognize each other, but you are your own person. _Te-atée_ imprints are rare, so very rare. In all of recorded history, it has happened three times. It must be a struggle for you to be apart and to be so close, unable to complete the mating bond."

"It does pose its challenges," Bella said. "I want nothing more than to complete the bond. But his being human…the Council of Elders…Caius and Aro will never allow it."

"Nirabelle, you can overrule the council," Marcusi murmured.

"Be that as it may, I want their blessing," Bella sniffled. "I have no family left. My mother died with the birth of Charanel, my father was killed in the war. Norex and his mate barely tolerate me only because I'm the empress and I'm their meal ticket. You and your brothers are almost like my family." My arms tightened around Bella's tiny, shaking body. Her fingers threaded with mine. "I need your help, Marcusi. We followed protocols. I did not have any sort of conversation with Edward until Jakob made me hail them from the surface. Once I saw his face, my heart fluttered and I knew."

"You can converse telepathically?" Marcusi asked. We both nodded. "I can see your spots are glowing and you can calm while you are touching?"

"Yes," Bella said. "I can also sense Edward's emotions. I don't know if he can with me…"

"I'm feeling all sorts of, um, weird," I chuckled. "Not in a bad way, but I don't know really. The only thing I know for sure is that it pains me to even think of not being with her and that the love I feel is all-encompassing."

"Are you on your way back to Forx?" Marcusi questioned.

"According to my helmsman, we've got six days of traveling at high speeds to make it back," I said, checking my tablet. "We do have, however, an unwelcomed guest about four light years behind us."

"One of the Alphan's cloaked vessels is following us?" Bella asked.

"Yes. Counselor, I'm transmitting all that happened yesterday. It's the same report that I transmitted to the Federation. We were attacked and fired upon, an act of war," I said, sending the file to Marcusi. Over the comm link, his computer beeped. "Do you have it?"

"Yes, Captain. I will read this and discuss all of this with my brothers. In regards to this cloaked vessel, you can detect it?"

"It's only a theory at the moment, sir," I said. "We're trying to find a way to counteract the cloak, but that's also another theory. If it is following us…you may want prepare your fleet for when we arrive. We also may have some Federation back up, as well. I have yet to hear from my father, the Admiral that your Emperor was talking with prior to his death."

Marcusi nodded. "Please keep me apprised to what is happening, Captain. I will discuss all of this with my brothers," he added. "A connection as strong as yours, you need to complete the mating bond soon."

"But, what about Caius and Aro?" Bella pressed.

"I'll deal with them, Empress," Marcusi smirked. "Once you return, your mating ceremony will happen on the eve of _Hisnari_. I will officiate."

"Thank you, Marcusi," Bella cried, her hands flying to her face.

"We need happiness in this dark time and having the mating ceremony of _te-atée _imprints will be a momentous occasion," Marcusi smiled, his entire being lighting up in happiness. "Blessings to you both, Empress and Emperor." Marcusi ended the transmission and I gulped.

"Did he just call me emperor?" I asked, looking at Bella.

**A/N: A lot happened in this. Yep, tons. I just couldn't find a good place to end it and it kept going and going and going…like the energizer bunny. Now, what do you think will happen with the Alphans, Cygnarians and the Federation? Will Edward get his diplomatic solution or will it result in an even larger war? What do you think Aro and Caius will say when they find out that Nirabelle is mated with a human? What will happen with Edward and Nirabelle when they do mate? **

**Now up next, we'll get the answer to Edward's question and arriving back at Forx. We have a mating ceremony to attend and some lemons of the extraterrestrial kind. *snorts* Pictures of the battle cruisers and war birds are on my tumblr and blog. Links for those are on my profile. Below is also the glossary for all of the terms that you heard in this chapter. I'm also going to post it on my Facebook group: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction.**

**Leave me some! **

_B'tak ~ Alphan swear, bitch_

_Pinotte ~ Alphan swear, whore_

_Extap ~ Alphan word, coward_

_Funoch ~ Alphan swear, pussy_

_Oo-out ~ Alphan command, 'end transmission'_

_Senelle ~ Cygnarian word, a kiss. It begins the mating bond between imprints. _

_Chenkak ~ Cygnarian swear, assholes_

_Firatte ~ A carnivore with six legs and two rows of razor sharp teeth, the most dangerous animal on the Cygnarian home world. Similar to a lion._

_Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari ~ a Cygnarian phrase: "You are my heart, I am your soul. My love for you is for always."_

_Necelles ~ on a starship, the necelles are the 'exhaust pipe.' They allow the waste of their engines to be reused or expelled into space. _

_Omichron particles ~ counter agent for gamma radiation_

_Antimatter ~ the opposite of matter, combining matter and antimatter creates a reaction which allows the _Volvo_ to travel faster than the speed of light or 'jump speed.' _

_H'Nan ~ A solar system within Cygnarian space, home of a Cygnarian colony_

_Berannes ~ night terrors_


	4. Chapter 4

**So, something completely different…I'm struggling with writer's block and I'm hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group's walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I've always been interested in **_**Star Trek**_** and science fiction. Even before **_**Twilight,**_** it caught my attention. I even wrote some **_**Star Trek: Deep Space Nine**_** fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn't really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I'm not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own **_**Star Trek, **_**which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Chapter Four**

**EPOV**

"_Are you on your way back to Forx?" Marcusi questioned. _

"_According to my helmsman, we've got six days of traveling at high speeds to make it back," I said, checking my tablet. "We do have, however, an unwelcomed guest about four light years behind us."_

"_One of the Alphan's cloaked vessels is following us?" Bella asked. _

"_Yes. Counselor, I'm transmitting all that happened yesterday. It's the same report that I transmitted to the Federation. We were attacked and fired upon, an act of war," I said, sending the file to Marcusi. Over the comm link, his computer beeped. "Do you have it?"_

"_Yes, Captain. I will read this and discuss all of this with my brothers. In regards to this cloaked vessel, you can detect it?" _

"_It's only a theory at the moment, sir," I said. "We're trying to find a way to counteract the cloak, but that's also another theory. If it is following us…you may want prepare your fleet for when we arrive. We also may have some Federation back up, as well. I have yet to hear from my father, the Admiral that your Emperor was talking with prior to his death."_

_Marcusi nodded. "Please keep me apprised to what is happening, Captain. I will discuss all of this with my brothers," he added. "A connection as strong as yours, you need to complete the mating bond soon."_

"_But, what about Caius and Aro?" Bella pressed. _

"_I'll deal with them, Empress," Marcusi smirked. "Once you return, your mating ceremony will happen on the eve of Hisnari. I will officiate."_

"_Thank you, Marcusi," Bella cried, her hands flying to her face. _

"_We need happiness in this dark time and having the mating ceremony of te-atée imprints will be a momentous occasion," Marcusi smiled, his entire being lighting up in happiness. "Blessings to you both, Empress and Emperor." Marcusi ended the transmission and I gulped. _

"_Did he just call me emperor?" I asked, looking at Bella._

**BPOV**

I took Edward's hands, trying to calm him. He was almost trembling and his mind was filled with confusion. "Edward, _ti'ane_, breathe," I said, caressing his hands. He looked at me, still very lost. I took his face in my hands, pushing my thoughts into his. _If you are my imprint, my mate, my _ti'ane, _my _te'atée_, you are now the emperor of Forx. I know that you are upset, but please…_

"I'm a captain of the _Volvo_," he whispered. "How can I be a Galaxy Fleet captain and the emperor of Forx?"

"We will discuss it later," I said, my hands moving through his soft, silken hair. Slowly, I moved my fingers from his hair and down his smooth cheeks. His pink lips were calling for me, but we couldn't. Tenderly, I traced his mouth before nuzzling his cheek. His arms enfolded me in an embrace. _Are you alright, Edward?_

"I'm fine. It's just that…everything is changing rapidly and I'm unaccustomed to such changes," he explained, his voice tremulous. However, he stopped shaking. His lips pressed to my forehead and he cupped my chin. "I'll be okay. I need to get to the bridge. I want to help Victoria and Jasper with that cloaked ship. Do you want me to escort you to sickbay?"

"No, I need to stay here, work on my own report of what happened yesterday," I said. "Dr. Halé said I can't see her until this afternoon."

"Okay, love," Edward said, caressing my lips. "If you need me, ping me in my brain."

I giggled, picking up his hand and kissing his palm. "_Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari,_" I murmured.

"I love you more than my own life," Edward whispered back, kissing my cheek, just inches from my mouth. "Be safe." I got up from his lap and he left my quarters.

Turning in the chair, I quickly pulled up the communications array. I called Marcusi back. His face filled the screen. "Is everything okay, Empress?"

"Why did you call Edward 'Emperor'?" I asked. "He's panicking and dwelling on it. His job is on this ship, not ruling a planet."

"Empress, you know as well as I do, that your mate cannot be away from you. What hope is there for you if you separate?" Marcusi asked. "Either you will have to abdicate the throne to be with him and your brother will become the next emperor or your Edward will have to resign from Galaxy Fleet."

"Marcusi, Edward is pushing for us to be admitted into the Federation. We will be a part of a larger unit. There will be no Emperor and Empress, only delegates to their Federation Council," I said.

"There will always be rulers. I've done my research. Most of the worlds in the Federation maintain their own governments, abiding by the Federation laws, which we already do. Our beliefs are along the lines of the Federation. Your father said that it was the war with the Alphans that was denying our admittance. However, based on what I read of the captain's report, he's pushing for you to be allowed in so Forx and the Cygnarian people can be protected," Marcusi explained.

"Including our colonies? Our outposts?" I asked.

"Yes, Empress," Marcusi said. "From what I understand, we're just waiting to hear back from the Federation Council."

"Alright," I sighed, feeling exhausted. "I'm assuming you haven't heard from anyone from the Federation?"

"No, but I assume that we will shortly. This is a brilliant report," Marcusi explained. "Captain Cullen is quite the advocate to have on our side." I nodded, smiling softly. "Rest, Empress. It's been a trying few days. I will contact you if there are any complications."

"Yes, Marcusi," I said. "Can you send my love to Charanel? I know that he does not understand why I'm gone."

"I will. Blessings to you," Marcusi said, bowing his head reverently. I returned the gesture, ending the transmission. My eyes were drooping and I needed sleep. Removing my dress, I put on my leggings and tunic, climbing into the bed in my quarters. Curling up, I focused on Edward's green eyes and quickly fell into a deep slumber.

When I woke up three cycles later, I used the sonic shower and dressed in a comfortable but still stylish sheath dress with long sheer sleeves. All of my clothes are varying shades of blue, the royal color on Forx. I'm grateful that I love the color, but my father and mother hated it. Keeping things simple, I wore just my ring and my communicator on my clothes. I gathered some of Maralice's clothes, going to sickbay. She should be out of surgery now.

Remembering the path that Victoria showed me, I managed to get to sickbay. I got turned around once, but one of the older men of the crew directed me in the correct way, also showing me how to pull up a map on the computer. I thanked him and he smiled kindly. Arriving at the infirmary, I walked first to Dr. Halé's office. She was writing something on her tablet. She looked up immediately, smiling softly. "Empress, come in."

"How is Maralice?" I asked, sitting down across from Dr. Halé.

"Her wounds are healed and she's resting comfortably," she explained. "Well, not comfortably. I still feel a great deal of shame and sadness around her."

"I don't know how much of my people you know, but we are mated to one person and our bodies are for our mates only," I said. "Maralice's mate, Jamel, was killed in the war and she has been alone ever since."

"So, she'll never remarry?" Dr. Halé asked.

"No and in her mind, she has shamed her family and the family of her imprint," I explained. "I know it was against her will and I believe she is a strong female. In her heart, she will need much healing."

"The only time she wasn't upset was when Commander Whitlock came to check on her," she murmured. "Her spots glowed slightly."

"Really?"

"Yes, but once he was gone, the guilt and shame came back tenfold," she frowned.

"Perhaps Maralice is connected with Commander Whitlock? I am hesitant to say that he's her mate, but they obviously share something," I shrugged.

"Is Captain Cullen your mate?" Dr. Halé questioned.

"Yes and according to one of my people, our bond is very rare," I smiled softly. "You were married to him?"

"Yeah. It was a spur of the moment decision that was brought on by our physical attraction and lust for each other. Don't get me wrong, I love Edward. Like a brother," she laughed. "Well, now, like a brother. When we were married, it was all sex and arguing."

"Sex?" I asked, arching a brow.

"Um, making love, bonding physically, mating?" she responded, her nose wrinkled.

"Right," I blushed.

"This isn't weird that I was married to him, right?"

"Marriage is not what we use to describe our unions. It's much deeper than that. A marriage, as you have seen and experienced, can be broken. With our imprints, our mates, most Cygnarians share a soul and it's that connection that bonds them together. It's what allows to feel what they feel, hear their minds as we can be inside of theirs. Touch and time strengthens the bonds and mates physically cannot be without the other," I said, smiling softly.

"What happens when a mate dies?" Dr. Halé pressed.

"There is a time of great mourning. Maralice's mate died nearly a decade ago. She is only now allowed to go out among people. Since she was such a high-ranking member of my staff, she was able to interact with me and the Cygnarians who lived in the royal palace. She couldn't have gone on this mission a year ago, though. I'm grateful she's here. I couldn't have gotten this far without her," I sighed. "She helped me with the death of my mother, filling her shoes at times when my father was unable."

"But, she didn't die despite her mate dying?"

"No. However, that might be different for Edward and myself. Like I said, our bond is very rare. Our connection is very strong, even without fully completing the mating ceremony," I described.

"And his being married doesn't affect that?"

"Ideally, I'd prefer my mate to be…" I trailed off.

"A virgin?" she giggled.

"What's that?" I asked. "I've never heard that word."

"Never had sex," she explained.

"Yes, but my heart knows what it wants and it wants Edward. Only Edward," I smiled softly, pressing my hand above my breast.

Dr. Halé's communicator chirped. "Cullen to Halé," came the voice of my _ti'ane. _

"I'm here, Captain," she replied.

"I need you and the Empress to come to my conference room. We've received word from the Federation Council," Edward said, his voice deep and resonant, warming my soul.

"How did you know that the Empress was here?" Dr. Halé asked.

"I felt her there. I knew she was talking to you," he chuckled. "Gossiping, ladies?"

"I was telling her how you never get your socks in the hamper," Dr. Halé smirked. "He's notorious for leaving dirty laundry everywhere."

"ROSALIE!" Edward boomed. "Stop it. I'm still your commanding officer. Don't make me confine you to quarters."

"Promises, promises," Rosalie giggled. "We'll be in the conference room after we check on Envoy Maralice. Give us about ten minutes, sir." She tapped her communicator and got up from her desk. "We're keeping Maralice sedated for now. She should be able to go back to your quarters tomorrow. I would like to speak with her, begin her therapy to help her emotional healing."

"I don't know if she would want to discuss such private matters with someone who is not family," I frowned. "It will be up to her, of course, but I'm pretty certain she will decline your suggestion for therapy." We walked into the treatment area. My friend was laying on the hospital table. Her bruising was now gone and she was resting. I brushed her hair back, murmuring well wishes in her ear in Cygnarian. She smiled softly.

"She's calmed by your presence, Empress," Rosalie said.

"Maralice has been there for me and now it's my turn," I said, kissing her forehead. "Thank you for taking such good care of her."

"It's my job as a doctor to care for her. I would be remiss if I let her suffer," she murmured. "No woman should have her choice taken away."

"You sound like you know?" I questioned.

"No, but my sister, Irina, did. She was attacked on Solari while she was visiting our mother. Solarians are a gentle people, but when our minds are in jumbles, like the men who attacked Irina, they are extremely violent," Rosalie said. "It became too much for her, recovering from the attack and she took her own life."

"I'm so sorry," I cried.

"The men were more brutal with my sister than those Alphans were Maralice. My sister lost the ability to carry a child and she lost a part of herself. She never recovered that part and she went mad, throwing herself from the top of the Space Needle in Seattle," Rosalie sniffled. "In a way, she was better off. What woke up from the attack was not my sister. It was a shell of the spunky woman I knew. So, I know…I know, Maralice." Rosalie took Maralice's hand, squeezing it. She closed her golden eyes, a few tears falling onto her cheeks and then she looked at me. Wiping her face, she said, "Let's go before Captain Cullen sends the cavalry."

I nodded, kissing Maralice's forehead again. I left her clothes on the edge of the hospital table, following Rosalie, Dr. Halé, to the turbolift. "Do you know if the Federation Council has good news or bad news?" she asked.

"I do not know. As much as I love hearing Edward's mental voice, I do not want to invade his privacy. I can sense that he's not as stressed, but he was worried when he left my quarters this morning," I said, not giving too much away. "Other than that, I suppose we'll find out at this meeting."

"Will you two be okay in the same room and not send off huge lusty vibes?" Rosalie quipped.

"I cannot help what my body wants," I smirked. "But, I will try."

"The Empress is a smart ass. I like it," Rosalie laughed.

"Please, call me Bella. Like I told Victoria, I'm not an empress on this vessel. Just a passenger," I said.

"Well, by all means call me Rose. You are, after all, marrying my ex-husband," she snorted, guiding me into turbolift.

"Mating, bonding…not marrying," I replied, giving her a crooked smile. "And it's not official yet. We have to meet with the Council of Elders to approve the ceremony. We have the blessing of Counselor Marcusi, but Counselors Caius and Aro will be a harder sell."

"Once they see how you look at each other, the love emanating from you, they will have to approve," Rose said.

"The problem is that we do not mate with people off world. The only person I know who had a mate that was from another planet was Marcusi's mate's mother. She was a human, but Cygnarian genetics are much more dominant than humans. You can't even tell," I shrugged. "I don't know. With my status as the empress, it will be…tough."

"I get that these council elders may have an issue, but you're the empress. You're the boss," Rose said, arching a brow.

"Many believe that I'm too young and inexperienced, namely my uncle, my father's brother, Norex. In his eyes, he should have been named emperor," I snorted derisively. "Or my brother should have been, despite his mental handicap."

"So, Norex is a misogynistic pig who believes that women should be barefoot and pregnant?" Rose asked, anger coloring her tone.

"Yes, I guess. I mean, he has twelve children. His wife, Lianette, is always with child when I see her," I frowned. "He dominates her. Snuffs out her personality."

"Yep, a total pig," Rose growled. "Are all men on Forx like that?"

"No, they aren't. Men and women have equal opportunities. Norex is just… a _yanhesh_," I spat.

"A what?" Rose asked as we arrived at the conference room.

"Someone so stupid that the dirt has more intelligence," I giggled. "Goodness that was rude."

"No, it wasn't. It was funny," Rose said, pressing the button to open the door. We walked inside and saw most of the chairs were filled. I did not recognize everyone and I felt somewhat out of sorts. Edward smiled crookedly, holding out his hand. I rushed over to him, taking his hand in mine, threading our fingers together.

_I've missed you,_ Edward thought to me, smiling softly. "Let me introduce you to my crew. You know Commander Victoria Braxas and Dr. Rosalie Halé." He gestured to two faces I knew the best other than Edward. I nodded. "This is my first officer, Commander Jasper Whitlock."

"It's nice to meet you, Commander," I said quietly.

"You as well, Empress. And I want to apologize for my brusque behavior on the bridge regarding the cloaked vessel. Tensions were a bit high and I took out my frustrations on you," Commander Whitlock said quietly. "I never intended any disrespect."

"Yesterday was a mess, Commander. Apology accepted," I said graciously. Glancing at Edward, I arched a brow. _Did you make him apologize?_

_Yes. He was an asshole. He tends to speak before he thinks. However, that was the most genuine apology I'd ever heard from him. I'm shocked, really, _Edward chuckled. "Sitting next to Rosalie is our chief engineer, Lieutenant Emmett Morgainne and across from him is our helmsman, Lieutenant Riley Biers. On the screen, is my father and commanding officer, Admiral Carlisle Cullen."

"Oh," I squeaked. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Admiral. My father spoke very highly of you." I gave him the gesture of greeting.

"As did yours," Admiral Cullen smiled.

"Now, that we're all here, let's get started," Edward said, helping me in the chair next to him. He kept our hands linked as we turned to face the view screen. "What's the news?"

"I have excellent news. The Federation Council has approved your admittance into the Federation, Empress," Admiral Cullen said. "As we speak, I'm on the flag ship, _Excelsior, _to meet you at the Cygnari home world. And Edward, your mother and sister are on board as well. So is the Federation president, Eleazar M'Tak."

"Good," Edward grinned, squeezing my fingers. "When will you arrive?"

"We've got about a week left on our journey. The _Excelsior's _maximum speed is jump factor ten which is much faster than the _Volvo's_. We should arrive at Forx a couple days after you," Admiral Cullen explained.

"What will happen once we're admitted to the Federation?" I asked.

"You need to choose delegates to serve on the Federation Council. Each planet has three delegates," Admiral Cullen said, pressing a button. "Edward has received all that is entailed in membership. In addition to a delegation, you also receive Federation protection and your people can apply and join Galaxy Fleet." Edward handed me the tablet with the information. I beamed in appreciation. "Now, onto more pressing matters. Do you still have that tail?"

"Last I checked, the gamma particles were not behind us. They may have turned back. Again, this is all supposition, Admiral," Victoria explained. "We don't know if the gamma radiation was a natural occurrence or if it was truly the cloaked ship. We never got an opportunity to test our theory."

"Empress, do you know, can the Alphans fire their weapons while cloaked?" Admiral asked me.

"No, sir. They have to lower their cloak in order to fire, but they have it down to a science. By the time they have lowered their cloak and fired their weapons, the ship is gone. It's how my father was killed. One of those ships attacked his cruiser," I murmured, trying to keep my emotions at bay. Edward raised our hands, kissing my knuckles.

"If I may, Admiral," Commander Whitlock chimed in. "I think I have a theory about the cloaked ships. Obviously, it's new technology. They are relying on the cloak and dagger, literally and figuratively." He pressed a few buttons and an outline of the Alphan war bird appeared on one of the screens. "The ship doesn't disappear. It's still there, right? It's only hidden under some form of shielding, masking it to look like the surrounding stars and space. My theory is that the shielding is just a way of hiding it. Not protecting it."

"So, if we could find the ship, we can fire on it and it's not shielded at all?" Lt. Morgainne asked.

"Exactly," Commander Whitlock nodded. "Ideally, we'd have to concentrate our fire on where the cloak is located to disable it. Possibly, the cloak is linked to their shield emitters? I don't know. Like I said, this is just a theory. All of this is just a theory. I'd kill to get inside one of those vessels and see how this thing works. We could use those in our ships."

"No, we can't," Admiral Cullen said harshly. "That type of technology goes against everything the Federation believes in. We want to harness peace, not bring fear because we are hidden. Yes, the cloak is an interesting concept, but one that we will never use." He glared at Commander Whitlock, who scowled deeply. "The rest of you are dismissed. I need to speak to Captain Cullen and Empress Nirabelle."

Everyone got up and left the conference room. Edward tugged on my hand, pulling me from my seat and settling me into his lap. His nose was buried in my hair and I just melted against his chest. We forgot that his father was still on the view screen, watching our interaction. He cleared his throat. I jumped, blushing brightly. "Sorry, Admiral," Edward said gruffly. "It's just…we hadn't seen each other in a few hours and I had to touch her, feel her."

I looked at the Admiral and he was smirking slightly. "It's okay, Edward. I'm not talking to you as your commanding officer. I'm talking to you and your, um, what is that you call each other?" he asked.

"My imprint," I said, pressing my hand to Edward's prickly cheek. "In English, I guess I would be his betrothed?"

"Fiancée," Edward corrected. "Betrothed is an older word." He kissed my palm, his green eyes darkening. I leaned forward. _Bella, we can't. Remember?_

_Oops,_ I giggled mentally.

"I should be reprimanding you for disobeying orders. I should throw you into the brig," Admiral Cullen said sternly, but his face broke into a beaming grin. "I can't though. I may not be able to see connections or bonds like Counselor Marcusi, but I do see two people in love."

"Our souls, after being separated for so long, have finally reunited," I said, looking at Admiral Cullen. "What we have is very rare, Admiral."

"Please, call me Carlisle. If you and my son are going to be married or mated or whatever it is you do, the formalities need disappear," he laughed. I looked at Edward, seeing so much of his father in him. "How is it rare?"

"We are, as Counselor Marcusi explained it, _te'atée_ mates. Most couples on my planet are mates, soul mates. Meaning their souls are connected. The difference is that our soul is one. It is why we have to touch after being a part. It is why we have to pray that the Council of Elders will approve our mating and soon. We need to complete the bond or both of us will die," I explained. "Edward being human complicates things. However, _te'atée _mates only have been recorded in our history three times, including ours."

"Can you hold off on the ceremony until the _Excelsior_ arrives?" Carlisle asked. "I'm certain your mother and sister would love to see it. They missed your first wedding." He gave Edward a wry look.

"Is that possible?" Edward questioned, his fingers running through my ringlets.

"Of course it is, _ti'ane_," I cooed. "I would want your family there. I'm glad they are coming…" My breath hitched, realizing that my own family, my parents would not see our mating ceremony. Tears welled in my eyes.

"Dad, we'll see you on Forx, alright?" Edward said gruffly.

"Understood. Admiral Cullen out," he barked and the screen went blank.

_You're missing your parents, aren't you?_ Edward asked quietly in my mind. I nodded, unable to speak mentally or verbally. _They loved you, Bella. Your parents aren't with you, but they must know that you are happy and mated._

"They sent you to me, I think," I said, a few rogue tears falling down my cheeks. "My father knew that my imprint had to be a strong, amazing man and he handpicked you from everyone from the galaxy. I'm just sad that they won't see it." Edward frowned for me, his mind saying that he loved me while he nuzzled my cheek. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I allowed myself to be comforted by my mate and despite my sadness, I felt at peace.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

The rest of the journey back to Forx was quiet. Maralice was released from sickbay two days after her attack. She stayed in her quarters, upset and filled with guilt. I missed my friend, but I knew that she needed to cleanse herself of what had happened. She was happy that Edward and I recognized each other as imprints, but her happiness was short-lived. Upon speaking to Rose, she said that her guilt and shame were bone-crushing. I felt for my friend. I wanted to take her shame away, but only she could do that.

We arrived back at Forx, stopped by a large fleet once we entered Cygnarian solar system. The fleet commander recognized our ship and let us go through. Edward said for them to look out for gamma radiation, sending them information about the cloaked vessel and how to configure their sensors to read for the particles. By the time we were in orbit of my home, Maralice was dressed and ready to do her job. However, the light in her eyes had dimmed significantly. I didn't need to be empathic to know that she was incredibly sad.

We were transporting down to the Imperial Palace, which was where I lived. I would have preferred to stay at the home in the country that I shared with my father and brother, but I was the Empress and I needed to maintain appearances. My uncle, Norex, and his brood lived there as well. Walking to the transporter room, I stood next to Edward, holding his hand. I was terrified of what was waiting for me, but happy to see my brother. I had missed him.

"Whatever happens, Bella, we'll get through it together," Edward murmured as the crewman set the coordinates. "Energize."

I closed my eyes and when I opened them, I was in the throne room of the palace. Norex and my brother were waiting for us. "Nirabelle," exclaimed my brother as he ran to me. He nearly tackled me. "I missed you, Nirabelle!" I sobbed quietly into his shoulder, gripping my brother's shirt. My brother didn't understand why I had to leave or the ramifications of my departure. "It's almost _Hisnari_, Nirabelle. Did you get me a present?"

"Not yet, Charanel," I said, taking his face in my hands. "I will, though. I promise. I did order your _nari _cakes."

"Yay!" Charanel beamed, bouncing on his toes. He turned to the rest of the party that came down with me, Maralice, Rose, Commander Whitlock and Edward. "Who are they? Did they bring me presents?"

"Nirabelle!" barked Norex, glaring at me. "A word?"

I cursed under my breath. "These are my friends, Charanel and you remember Ali, right?"

"Ali!" he said as he ambled over to Maralice. He couldn't pronounce her name so it was shorted to Ali. They hugged and Maralice took my brother out of the room.

"NIRABELLE!" Norex yelled.

"Excuse me," I said to everyone, walking over to my uncle. "Yes?"

"You are in presence of a male who is _not_ your family. You are acting like a _xytiria_," Norex snarled. "Have you bonded with those males?"

I growled at him, standing up tall and glaring at him. "The captain of the vessel is my mate. My _te'atée_ mate. Need I remind you that you that I'm your Empress and not some child that you can scold."

"You are a brat, unworthy of being an empress," Norex spat. "And you bring shame to your family. Bonding to a human? Your father must be so embarrassed of you. If he could, he would disown you and I would be Emperor."

I raised my hand, slapping Norex across the face. "Get out before I throw you into a cell," I seethed. "Your words could be interpreted as treason!"

"_Shtacknec eiaya!_" Norex growled, turning on his heel and stomping out of the throne room.

"He has become problematic, Empress," Counselor Marcusi said, arching a brow. He glided into the room, extending a hand to Edward. "It's an honor to speak face-to-face, Captain. Thank you for all of your help with everything you have done with the situation with the Alphans."

"Have you heard anything from Jakob?" I asked.

"Not directed toward the council, but that have been mumblings that he's mounting an attack. Our newly formed alliance with the Federation can't come at a better time," Counselor Marcusi breathed. "Admiral Cullen and President M'Tak are near, about a day's journey behind you. Also, any of your crew are welcome to come down to the surface. I can only imagine how stifling it must be on a starship."

"My crew would greatly appreciate any shore leave," Edward smiled. "We were actually diverted from shore leave to come to this mission. I'll let my crew know. Any place in particular?"

"We have a lovely resort on an island off the southern continent. I've informed them of your arrival and they've arranged for accommodations for any who wish to stay. Many Cygnarians go there after they are mated to fully bond with their imprints. However, with the upcoming holiday, _Hisnari_, their rooms are empty. It is called _Lisila Te'une_. Here are the coordinates for your transporter and the name of the owner of the resort." Edward took the small tablet from Counselor Marcusi, transmitting the information up to the _Volvo_. "I have arranged for quarters for all of you here at the palace, if you so choose to stay down here."

"I think that most of everyone will remain on the ship," Edward said. "We just wanted to make sure that the Empress made it down to the surface without any incident." His voice hardened toward the end, glaring at where Norex stomped off to. _He…he is awful, Bella. He's your father's brother? He has no loyalty!_ "I will remain on the surface with the Empress and to greet the Admiral and Federation President."

"That's wonderful!" Counselor Marcusi beamed. "You'll stay in the Emperor's suite, Captain."

"Ooookay," Edward said uncertainly.

"Counselor, do you have a palace physician?" Rose asked. "I'd like to discuss what happened to Maralice with them."

"Yes, of course. Empress, why don't you show Captain Cullen his accommodations while I help…" Counselor Marcusi trailed off.

"Dr. Rosalie Halé," Rose replied, smiling genuinely.

"Dr. Halé with the physician," Counselor Marcusi finished.

"I'd like to say goodbye to the Envoy," Commander Whitlock said, bowing slightly.

"It's on the way," Counselor Marcusi smiled, leading the rest of our group out of the throne room.

After they left, my rigid regal posture deflated. I sighed, happy to be home but on edge that the _carrane_ in the room has yet to be addressed. "Come, _ti'ane_, let me show you where you will be staying," I said, taking Edward's hand. "It was my father's old apartment in the palace."

"Did your parents not sleep together?" he asked.

"They did, but my mother stayed in our country home with me while father attended to things in the capital," I explained. "When they were here, they stayed in this apartment while I stayed in my current quarters, which has since been converted into the empress suite."

"What about your brother? Did he have special accommodations?" Edward asked as we walked down a long hallway to his quarters.

"He usually stayed with a nanny or me. Charanel, he cannot fend for himself. He has the mind of a child," I said sadly. "I love him dearly, but he will always need to rely on others to care for him. Maralice is the closest thing to a mother my brother ever had."

"He calls her Ali," Edward chuckled.

"He cannot say her name," I murmured. We arrived at his quarters. "Or at least, he couldn't when he was younger. He shortened it to Ali and it stuck." I walked to a computer console. "Come, we need to allow our computers to recognize you. Place your hand there," I instructed. Edward did so and I typed on the console, entering information about our new 'emperor.' The screen beneath his hand glowed as it scanned his palm. "Now, place your chin here and look into this. The computer needs to do a retinal scan." Edward nodded, standing still as the computer finished up the identification process. He stepped back and I pressed the activate code. "Now, use your hand to open the door. I want to make sure it works."

Edward placed his hand on the palm reader on the left side of the door. It scanned his hand and the doors opened. Walking into the modern and beautifully decorated room, he gasped. The floor to ceiling windows displayed the _Renien Ocean_ and the setting sun. To the left, there was an open fireplace and a stone wall. Next to the fireplace were four white chairs set up around a small table. My father's game of _zegge_ was still set up. The floors were a soft, gray stone that coordinated with the wall that housed the fireplace. On the right, there was a brown leather sofa that overlooked a large view screen and connected to our database. "If there is anything that you want changed, please let me know and we will make arrangements," I said quietly.

"No, it's lovely," Edward said, giving me a reassuring smile. I tried to return it but it was hard. Edward's smile fell away. _Is this the first time you've been in here since your father died? _I nodded. "Bella, I can stay somewhere else. Hell, I'll sleep on the couch."

"I'm fine," I said, reaching up to caress his face. "There's just so much of him in this room that it hit me all of a sudden."

"I felt it, Bella," he murmured, covering my hand with his.

"I used to play with my dolls by those chairs. We used to talk about our people, debating on what they needed on that couch. He taught me how to be diplomatic and fair, but not to lose my focus or my temper. I was, unfortunately, not successful with losing my temper with Norex," I blushed.

"He deserved to be slapped. You could never be an embarrassment," Edward soothed. "I wanted to take my phaser and stun him, the jackass. What did he call you?"

"He called me a whore, a loose woman who would be with anyone for the right price," I sneered.

"And you are not that," Edward growled, taking my face in his hands. "You are beautiful, kind and…" He moved closer. His mouth was so close. He snarled, kissing my forehead before stalking away to the windows. "I'm sorry, Bella. I just need to…"

"Mate," I blushed, my spots glowing brightly. "I know. The pull towards each other is growing and it needs to happen soon. Let me show you the bedroom."

"I think I can find that myself. If I get you in a bedroom, I will lose all control and…" He finished his thoughts in my mind, showing him pressing me up against the wall and kissing me deeply. I whimpered, bracing myself against the doorway.

"I think I'll go," I said. Edward gave me a pained look, nodding slowly. I whispered my love for him and he responded in kind. His Cygnarian was improving daily. It didn't sound so clunky in his voice. Turning, I left his suite and darted back to my own quarters, which were on the other side of the throne room. My father's quarters were sleek and elegant. Mine were much more feminine. I collapsed on the couch in my quarters, closing my eyes. I prayed that the Council of Elders will allow our mating. I was so very close to initiating the bonding process. I needed him. He needed me. We needed each other.

I locked my doors and decided to treat myself to a nice long bubble bath. The sonic showers may have cleaned my body, but nothing is as soothing as soaking in a warm tub, filled with fragrant bubbles. I stripped out of my gown and wrapped a light blue satin robe around my naked body. Pulling various bottles from my closet, I walked to fill the bathtub with essence of _veranne_, _tika _petals and _lysa_ oils. I inhaled deeply as the three scents combined. I twisted up my hair, shrugging out of my robe.

I spent a great deal of time looking at my body. Would Edward be pleased with me? Would he like what he saw? I was attractive for a Cygnarian. My hair was long and thick, naturally curly and a deep mahogany color with iridescent highlights, befitting royalty. My skin was pale with a subtle pearlescent sheen along with my spots along the length of my body. They were a medium brown, but glowed a bright blue when I was near my mate. My eyes, also blue, glowed brightly. Running my hands down my spots, I came to my breasts. I frowned at these. They were small, just like my mother. Like all Cygnarians. I remembered Rose and she had larger breasts. At one point, Edward had been with her. Would he want breasts like hers? I palmed them, wishing they were slightly bigger, but shook it off. Moving my hands down my stomach, I looked lower. As far as I knew, humans and Cygnarians were compatible. Proof was Didyme. Would he be able to mate with me? Just below my navel, I had a small tuft of brown curls that covered my womanhood. I would not be able to bear children for another year or so, due to the medication my physician gave me to regulate my cycle. With all that happened, I needed to rule, not be in a mania because of my mating cycle.

"He loves you, Nirabelle," I murmured. "He will love all of you," I said, caressing my collarbones. Shaking my head, I grabbed a towel and slipped into the warm water. The feeling of the water wrapped around me like an embrace. I sighed contentedly, wishing Edward was with me.

I stayed in the bathtub for over an hour. It wasn't until I heard the chime from the door that I knew I had to pull myself away. I dried myself off, putting on my robe and walking to the entryway. I touched the screen. "Yes?"

"Empress," came the voice of one of the many workers. "You've been summoned by the Council of Elders. Please meet them in an hour in the Council Chamber."

"Thank you," I said. I padded back to my bathroom, emptying the tub and making quick work of applying my makeup and finery of the empress. I dressed in a simple blue sheath that clung to my body. I wore my ring and _ioti_ stone circlet. Putting on my shoes, I dabbed some _lysa_ on my pulse points and left my apartment. Edward was waiting in the throne room. He was still in his uniform, looking handsome and very powerful. He exuded control and strength. "Edward," I smiled.

"Bella," he breathed. "I'm sorry about before…"

"It's okay," I said. "I understand. It's like I'm dangling a _nari_ cake in front of your nose and asking you to not eat it."

"The sweetest torture," he chuckled, threading my fingers with his. "Let's find out our fate, Empress." I nodded, leading him to the Council Chamber. Arriving at the Chamber, I ran my hand through the scanner and we walked inside. Standing on our left was Maralice. On our right, Norex was glowering at me. Counselors Marcus, Aro and Caius were sitting on the dais, their faces impassive.

"Welcome back, Empress Nirabelle," Aro said, giving me the standard greeting. "I'm glad that you have returned unharmed."

"It's good to be home, Counselor Aro," I replied, returning his greeting. "I'm sorry that I could not negotiate a peace between the Alphans and Cygnarians. Crown Prince Jakob was…"

"I've read your report," Aro stated curtly. "I've also read Captain Cullen's report. He believes you are mated?"

"He doesn't believe. We know," I answered. "Ask Counselor Marcusi. He can attest to the strength of our bond."

"Treasonous _xytiria,_" Norex mumbled under his breath. I shot him a look.

"Norex, you are here to represent your family. Keep your mutterings to yourself," Marcusi growled.

"It's the truth, Counselor. Look how she clings to him," Norex snarled. "She may as well be _shtacknec_ him on the council floor. She brings shame to my family. She should abdicate the throne!"

"ENOUGH!" Aro yelled, slamming down his marble stone on the table. "Your close-mindedness will be our downfall, Norex. Let her speak. You will have your turn." Aro turned back to me. "So, you are imprinted to this human. Describe your feelings. What are you experiencing?"

"When Jakob made me hail the _Volvo_, my heart began to fly. I knew the moment I saw him, but I had been experiencing moments the mating bond even before we met. I knew it was strong, the mating bond, because I was able to communicate with him telepathically through the comm link. It was through that telepathic connection that we were able to get out of the situation with Jakob with my life and the life of Envoy Maralice intact."

"Maralice may argue with that," Norex grumbled.

"Envoy Maralice will share her side of the story after the Empress," Aro said, arching a brow at Norex. "One more outburst and you will be escorted out of the room, Norex. Control yourself."

"Through the telepathic link, Captain Cullen was able to transport me off the surface of the Alphan home world, Lapus. They couldn't find Envoy Maralice at first, since we had been separated, but they did manage to get her, using a skeletal lock. Once I was close enough to Edward, I touched him and I knew, without a doubt, that he was my mate. I felt complete, whole, protected, loved, safe…I am his and he is mine."

"Captain, do you agree with what Empress Nirabelle described?" Aro asked.

"Yes, sir," Edward answered, nodding. "Obviously, I'm feeling something different, but I have this yearning to protect her, to make her happy, to love her. When we're apart, I feel lost and bereft. I need to touch her skin to know she's real or I'd go mad."

"You have not _senellé_, correct?" Caius questioned.

"Not our mouths. We've kissed our hands and our forehead, but our lips have not touched," I said, moving closer to Edward. "We know that begins the mating bond and I want us to be bonded in the eyes of my people, my family, Edward's family."

"Envoy Maralice, how are you doing?" Marcusi asked.

"I'm getting stronger every day. Seeing Charanel has brought me some peace," Maralice said, nodding her head. "Dr. Halé and our palace physician, Kunnan, have prescribed some sedatives and medications to help with my ordeal."

"Now, do you believe that Empress Nirabelle and Captain Cullen are imprinted?" Aro questioned.

"Yes. Even before they met, she was experiencing glowing spots and a sense of excitement," Maralice explained. "When I saw them after I was released from sickbay, I knew that they were imprinted. The look he gives her and how they communicate with each other. It's obvious and their bond is quite strong. I don't know how they are feeling now, but their connection needs to be completed or we will lose them both."

"I agree," Marcusi said. "I see their connection and it's strong, but I can feel the strain. Within a week, they will start to fail and they will be gone a week after that."

"Good. We need a leader who will not cower at the mere mention of the Alphans," Norex snorted. "I should have been made Emperor when my brother, Charel, died. Not this sniveling little girl. She can care for her retarded brother while I handle the Alphans."

"Norex! Enough. If anyone is acting treasonous, it's you. Nirabelle was crowned the Empress and you did not contest it," Caius snapped. "If you wanted to challenge her claim to the throne, it should have been done six months ago."

"I was in mourning for the loss of my brother. I was in no place to contest her claim," Norex scoffed. "She's obviously failing as Empress and should abdicate the throne. She is mated to a human. She shames all Cygnarians by publically admitting she is imprinted to someone from another world. Who cares if it's rare? She is an embarrassment to the throne and I challenge her claim."

"Challenge denied," intoned the three council members.

"Norex, Empress Nirabelle has worked with Captain Cullen and we are admitted into the Federation," Aro explained. Norex scoffed again. "There's no winning with you. Norex, you are entitled to your opinion, but what your brother wanted was admittance into the Federation and the end to this war. Nirabelle has succeeded in getting us into the Federation. Jakob gave no indication that he wants this war to end. All he wants is the Empress and we are not giving her to him. Especially now…"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I may not have the gift of seeing connections, but I know that if we keep going the way we have been, our world, our culture, will become extinct. Empress Nirabelle, Captain Cullen, we approve of your mating ceremony. The planet needs something great to see in this time of darkness. _Te'atée_ mating ceremony is just that! My brother, Marcusi, will preside over your ceremony and it will happen once the ship from the Federation arrives. By this time, the day after tomorrow, you will be mated and we will have a new emperor and a mated empress."

Happiness washed over me as I threw my hands around Edward's neck. He held me tightly, his lips finding my neck and kissing behind my ear. Maralice walked off her podium, offering her congratulations. She hugged me and I asked her to stand as my witness. She nodded, hugging me again. Maralice gave her quiet congratulations to Edward, but did not touch him for her fear of men had reared its ugly head. The trauma the Alphans caused making her feel less than Cygnarian and guilty for what happened to her. Norex had stomped out of the Council Chamber, slamming the door as he exited. I did not care.

Edward was going to be my mate.

I would be his and his alone.

And he would be mine.

**A/N: So, I had planned on getting through the mating ceremony in this chapter. However, it had gotten too long. Next chapter will still be in Bella's POV for the mating ceremony and some extraterrestrial lemons. I have some pictures for this chapter. They will be on my tumblr and blog, links for those are on my profile. If you can't find them, go to the search bar and type in 'Star Crossed' and only the posts pertaining to this story will pop up. **

**Up next will be the admittance to the Federation, meeting Edward's family, the mating ceremony and some citrusy goodness. As always, please leave me some lovin…Thanks for reading and I'll see on the flipside! **

_Ti'ane ~ Cygnarian word, meaning my love_

_Te'atée ~ Cygnarian word, meaning soul_

_Yanhesh ~ Cygnarian insult, someone so stupid that the dirt has more intelligence or fucktard_

_Xytiria ~ Cygnarian curse word, whore_

_Shtacknec eiaya ~ Cygnarian insult, fuck you_

_Lisila Te'une ~ Cygnarian honeymoon resort off the shores of the southern continent, loosely translated, island of my beloved. _

_Carrane ~ a large Cygnarian animal, combination of a hippo, rhino and elephant_

_Renien Ocean ~ the body of water that the Imperial Palace overlooks on Forx, largest ocean on the planet_

_Zegge ~ Cygnarian game, akin to chess, but on multiple levels_

_Veranne ~ an herb, smells similar to sandalwood and vanilla_

_Tika ~ flower from which tika tea is made, tasting similar to chamomile, looks like a light blue hydrangea flower_

_Lysa ~ citrus smelling oil, used to moisturize the skin and as a body fragrance_

_Senellé ~ verb, kissed_


	5. Chapter 5

**So, something completely different…I'm struggling with writer's block and I'm hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group's walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I've always been interested in **_**Star Trek**_** and science fiction. Even before **_**Twilight,**_** it caught my attention. I even wrote some **_**Star Trek: Deep Space Nine**_** fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn't really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I'm not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own **_**Star Trek, **_**which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Thank you to the Fic Sisters for their recommendation on their blog! I was so excited when I read it! It made my **_**week!**_

**Chapter Five**

**BPOV**

"Empress, Envoy Maralice has requested your presence in her quarters. Prince Charanel would like to eat dinner," said my hand maiden, Jerasse. "Emperor Edward is waiting for you in the throne room."

"Thank, Jerasse," I said as I closed my book. We had been on the surface of Forx for a couple of hours. After the good news from the Council of Elders, it was announced that our mating ceremony would be happening in a matter of three days, on the eve of _Hisnari_. Marcusi insisted that Edward and I not spend any extra time with each other, save for meals and required meetings. I was whisked away to have my dress made and Edward met with his own envoy, D'Metri to discuss his staff.

I made sure that I was dressed appropriately. I wore a long, navy blue sleeveless dress. It was form fitting on the bodice and flowed away from my hips. Picking up my ring from the table, I slid it on my finger and walked out of my suite. Gliding into the throne room, I saw that Edward had changed from his Galaxy Fleet uniform. The royal tailors had dressed him in a pair of dove grey trousers with a blue shirt and lighter blue jacket. On his jacket was his communicator from the _Volvo_ and his phaser was still strapped to his hip. For a moment, he looked like my father. The only thing that was missing was the circlet around his head and his _ioti _stone ring on his finger. Edward turned to me, gasping when he saw me. He reached inside of his jacket and produced a _kinka_ flower. The petals were an iridescent purple, shimmering in the dwindling sun.

"Each time I see you, you grow more beautiful," he murmured, handing me the flower. My face flamed and my spots glowed deeply. His lips pressed to my neck, inhaling my scent. "_Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari_."

"I cannot wait to say that in front of my people," I said, kissing his palm. "Our people." Edward grinned crookedly and offered me his arm. I took it eagerly, leading him to the royal dining room where we would share our meal with Maralice, Charanel, Marcusi and Didyme. "Have you thought about you will do in regards to Galaxy Fleet?"

"I will remain in command of the _Volvo_ until this situation is resolved with the Alphans," Edward said as we walked along the marble corridors of the palace. "After that, we will have to decide together what the next step is. I'm hesitant to say that I can give it up. It's all I've known, Bella. It's what I've lived for. My place is by your side, but the stars…"

"They call to you?" I asked.

"Yes," he responded. "I will do my job, whatever that may be. I just want the ability to explore the stars and the secrets hidden among them. It was my journey among the stars that led me to you."

I smiled softly. "If we are to be a part of the Federation, can't you still command your own vessel, but keep it close to the Cygnarian system?" I asked.

"I don't know. It's not something that we have to think about right away," Edward said. "The mere thought of being away from you, even in another room, it makes me jumpy. I truly don't know what to think or what to do."

"We have time, _ti'ane_," I murmured, guiding him into the royal dining room. My brother saw me immediately and he ran to me, giving me a warm hug. "Charanel, I'm so glad to be home, brother."

"Ali said that you've found your imprint," Charanel said, his voice slurring and garbled. I nodded. "Is this him?"

"Yes, Charanel. Meet Edward," I said, presenting Edward.

"Ednerd?" Charanel said, his nose wrinkling.

"Why don't you call me Ed?" Edward said gently, giving my brother his hand.

"Ed?" Charanel repeated. He looked at my mate, his head tilted to the side. Charanel looked back at me, his brows furrowed. "You love my sissy?"

"Very much, Charanel. I would do anything for her. For you, too," Edward murmured.

"Even give me extra _nari _cakes?" Charanel asked, his purple eyes twinkling mirthfully. Edward laughed, nodding. And like that, Charanel loved my mate, throwing his arms around Edward. My brother was very large for a Cygnarian, nearly the size of Emmett and dwarfing Edward. He stumbled back, patting Charanel's shoulder. "Can you play _giju'ri_ with me later?"

"I don't know _giju'ri_, Charanel. Perhaps you can show me?" Edward said, smiling warmly at my brother. Tears filled my eyes, knowing that Edward was excepting my brother, despite his handicap, his child-like innocence, trapped in a man's body. Charanel nodded excitedly, running to the computer to download the rules of the game.

"I've never seen Charanel so happy," Marcusi mused. "He's bonded with you, Edward, very quickly. He usually shies away from strangers. His bond to you is like that of a father to son."

"Fascinating," Edward murmured. He turned to me, seeing my tears. "Bella, please don't cry."

"I'm happy," I said, wrapping my arms around Edward's waist. "Charanel has just had Norex as a male influence. As you can see, Norex is not the most pleasant fellow and Marcusi is not the type of man to go play _giju'ri_ with my brother."

"He'd break every bone in my body," Marcusi chuckled.

"Should I be afraid?" Edward asked as he sat down next to me. Charanel bounded back, carrying a sleek black tablet. "Are these the rules, Charanel?"

"Yeah," he said, plopping down next to Edward. "We'll have to get you some gear. I'm certain that Bella wouldn't your face scarred for the ceremony."

"Probably not," Edward chuckled. "Show me how you play."

Charanel monopolized Edward's time during our meal. My poor imprint barely got any food into his stomach because my brother was chattering so gleefully. Edward listened intently, only asking for help a few times. Charanel's speech was slurred and difficult to understand due to his developmental delay. He was almost twenty but his mind was that of a six year old boy. He never knew the love of a father. Norex _tolerated_ him. It was his mate that cared for him primarily when I couldn't. Granted, Edward was not his father, but would be his brother. Obviously Edward was willing to step into the role willingly and guide my brother, provide him with the love that he desired.

After dinner, Charanel dragged Edward out onto the fields south of the palace. It housed a specially made activity center for my brother, one to accommodate his size. My brother loved to climb on things but when he played on children's playgrounds, they would crumble under his weight. Charanel ducked into a small building. Edward shrugged out of his jacket, handing it to me. "Your brother could easily kick my ass with this game," Edward said, his green eyes filled with trepidation.

"I've already called Kunnan. He is on standby," Marcusi said dryly. Didyme laughed, smacking his arm while Edward gulped audibly. Charanel ambled back, dropping an armful of equipment. "What is all this, Charanel?"

"Stuff," he replied, plopping down on the short, teal lawn. My brother looked up at my mate, thinking very hard. "I think we need to start with this." He tossed up a large ball. It was soft and stained. Edward caught it, spinning it in his large hands. "Play catch?"

"I think I can handle that," Edward chuckled. Charanel beamed running away. "Charanel, I don't think I can throw that far. Come a little close, okay?"

Charanel stopped and lolloped back to about a hundred meters from Edward. With a precision that I couldn't deny, Edward threw the ball to Charanel. My brother couldn't catch it but he gleefully ran to get it when he missed. I sat down on the grass, watching as my imprint and my brother tossed this dirty, ratty ball back and forth. Marcusi was beaming as he stiffly sat on the ground next to me.

"You do not need to stay," I chided.

"He's acting as a chaperone," Didyme offered. I arched a brow.

"Aro and Caius are afraid that you will begin the mating bond before your ceremony," Marcusi explained, his spots glowing red in shame. "I have faith in you, but they insisted that you be observed." I huffed. "The strain on your connection comes from the need to fully bond with him but unable to do so." Marcusi smiled softly though, putting his hand on my arm. "However, you should know that your brother adores Edward. It was instantaneous."

"Can they share thoughts?" I asked.

"No, but Charanel looks at Edward with respect and love. Their bond is unique and it's coming from both of them," Marcusi beamed, looking at them. "He never had this, Nirabelle. A male who loved him unconditionally, regardless of his mind."

I looked at my mate, sniffling in happiness. _Using a human phrase, Edward, I love you…thank you for loving my brother…_

_What's not to love, Bella? He's an amazing man and I can see how much he adores you. _

"Charanel, it's almost time for bed," Maralice called.

"Do I have to?" Charanel asked, his shoulders slumping. "Ed is a lot of fun!"

"You can see Edward tomorrow, Charanel," Maralice soothed as Charanel slumped over to where we were sitting. Edward jogged over to us, sitting next to me. His fingers threaded with mine and he kissed my wrist.

"Charanel, I know that we just met. According to D'Metri, I need to have a witness. Someone who can step in for me if something should happen to me to watch over your sister," Edward murmured, looking at my brother. "Would you be my witness?"

"I'm too _yanhesh,_" Charanel spat, his spots glowing in an angry orange. "Norex said so."

"Norex is _yanhesh,_" Edward said, staring at my brother, his own temper flaring causing my mate's pale skin to flush red. "I want you. I know you love your sister and would always protect her, right?"

"Yes. Nirabelle, loved me when no one else would," Charanel sniffled, fat tears rolling down his cheeks. "Except, Ali and Marc."

"Will you stand beside me, Charanel, and act as my witness?" Edward pressed. "I love you."

"You do?" Charanel whispered. Edward nodded. Everyone was crying at this point. With a loud whoop, Charanel jumped to Edward, wrapping his beefy arms around Edward's neck. They toppled over as Charanel tackled Edward. "I'll be your witness, Ed! _Te'une fei'rene_."

With much struggle, we separated Edward and Charanel. Maralice guided my brother to her quarters, baiting him only with the promise that he'd see Edward tomorrow at first meal. Standing up, I wrap my arms around Edward's waist. His clean scent provided me with the calm that I needed and his strong arms around my body grounded me. "You have given my brother what he needed more than anything," I murmured against his chest. "Love."

"He's easy to love," Edward soothed. "Perhaps Rosalie could look at his medical records. I don't know much about Cygnarian physiology but there may be something we could do to help with his delay?"

"His brain was deprived of oxygen and he will forever be a child," Marcusi explained. "We have advanced medical knowledge and not even our best and brightest physicians could help Charanel."

"Please?" Edward asked.

"I'll have them sent up to Rose," I said. "What is the plan for tomorrow, Marcusi?"

"From the communiqué I received from Admiral Cullen, the _Excelsior _should be arriving tomorrow along with two other vessels, the _Intrepid _and the _Enterprise._ We have a formal ceremony planned for our admission into the Federation tomorrow afternoon, followed by a dinner and reception in the grand ballroom," Marcusi explained. "Jerasse has your attire in your suite and I know that you have to wear your formal uniform, Emperor."

_It's weird to be addressed that way,_ Edward thought to me. I nodded, kissing his cheek.

_I'm still not used to it,_ I chuckled mentally.

"You must be tired," Didyme offered. "Why don't you both go to sleep and we'll discuss the next couple of days tomorrow?" We both nodded, bidding Marcusi and Didyme good night. We walked back to the throne room, standing in front on the large, ornate area rug atop the light marble.

"Until tomorrow," Edward murmured, kissing my neck. "You'll be meeting my family."

"I'm excited. I want to see if you look more like your mother or your father," I teased.

"I'm built like my dad, strong and tall. But, my facial features and coloring come from my mother. My younger sister, Elizabeth looks the opposite. She has dad's coloring but looks more like my mom," Edward snickered. He yawned, giving me a sheepish look. "My body is unaccustomed to your days. How long are they?"

"Thirty-two Earth hours," I said. "You really must be exhausted." He wrinkled his nose adorably, giving me a sheepish look. "Sleep well, beloved."

"I will," he murmured, enfolding me in a hug. His lips brushed my forehead and he pulled back, his face pained from being away from me. A guard cleared his throat and Edward's mind caressed mine. _I love you more than my own life, Nirabelle_. He turned on his heel, walking to the emperor suite.

_Only two days, Edward_, I crooned in my mind. _And then our bond will be complete. _

_Oh, hell yes!_

_Are you excited, _ti'ane?I asked, smiling as I slipped into my suite.

_That's putting it mildly, _te'atée_, _he said. His imagination took over and his love for me was overwhelming as he showed me what he wanted to do with me on the eve of our bonding ceremony. I whimpered, mentally squeaking my good night to take care of my now overwhelming desire for my mate.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

Shortly after the first meal, I'm rushed away to my suite so I could be dressed in my finery for the presentation of Admiral Cullen, his wife, Captain Esme Cullen, and the Federation President, Eleazar M'Tak. There was also a small delegation from the Federation Council aboard the _Enterprise_ to observe our induction into the Federation. I would sign the paperwork along with the Council of Elders. Edward is not officially the 'emperor' until we are fully mated. Jerasse and her assistant, L'aurien, curled my hair, affixing my _ioti_ stone tiara. I am dressed in one of my more formal gowns. It is a soft teal blue with a jeweled belt. One shoulder is bare and I look so much like my mother. The only thing that was missing was her _ioti_ stone pendant. She was, however, cremated with it and I would never wear it.

"Empress, it is nearly time," Jerasse murmured, helping me into my shoes. "Before you go, Emperor Edward gave me this." She handed me a sleek black box with an inlaid pearlescent crest. "That is beautiful, Empress. Do you know what it is?"

"If I had to guess, it would be the crest of Edward's family?" I suggested. "Such a strong depiction but so lovely."

"Empress, I am anxious. Please open it," L'aurien tittered. I blushed, my spots glowing a warm blue. Opening the box, I found a beautiful pendant, made with an_ ioti_ stone and two other gems that I didn't recognize. Inside, nestled on the lid was a handwritten note from my _ti'ane_. Moving smoothly, I sat down on the couch and opened the note.

_My dearest _Fíorghrá,

_That word is an ancient Gaelic word meaning true love. My family descends from Ireland and England, so it is the language of my people. I never understood its meaning until I met you, Nirabelle. You are my true love, my soul, my other half and I would do absolutely anything to stay by your side. Despite my exhaustion, I couldn't sleep. I wanted to be closer to you. I spent most of the night, working with the computer on the _Volvo_ on finding you the perfect present. _

_I replicated this. _

_I hate that it's not the actual artifact, but a replicated facsimile, but this pendant was worn by my ancestor, Eimile, who was a princess in her time. The stone is very similar to your _ioti_ stones. They are called moonstones on Earth. It is not as pink as yours. The stone on top is a sky blue topaz. It seemed fitting since the royal color is blue. The final stone is an amethyst. The purple befitting royalty on Earth. _

_I hope that you will wear this today as your world becomes a part of the Federation. I'm so happy that Forx and its colonies were added to this proud and storied collection of planets, cultures and minds. The Federation will protect Forx from the Alphans and I will personally protect you and your brother. You both mean so much to me. (Though, you mean infinitely more, _Fíorghrá).

_I love you more than my own life, Nirabelle. I cannot wait until we are finally one. _

_All my love, _

_Edward_

"You better not be crying, Empress," Jerasse chided as she sat down in front of me. "You have to go in front of your subjects in ten minutes."

"I'm sorry," I chuckled, wiping my face as I clutched the beautiful note from my _ti'ane_ to my chest. "L'aurien, can you put this on me?" I asked, handing her the pendant. She lifted my hair, placing the pendant around my neck. "Thank you."

"That pulls everything together, Empress," Jerasse smiled. "You just need one more thing." She darted into my private chambers. A few moments later, she came back with two large silver cuffs. Putting them on my arms, I stood up tall. Jerasse nodded, fluffing my dress. With one final step, she added a matching train to my dress, attaching it to the back. With a slow nod, I prepared myself for meeting Admiral Cullen and President M'Tak.

Walking out to the throne room, I saw the audience of nobles and dignitaries assembled. Edward was standing tall and proud, wearing his dress uniform from Galaxy Fleet. It was a black pair of trousers with a long white tunic that just came past his fingertips. The fabric on his shoulders was a deep blue and pinned to his chest was communicator. Draped across his body was a sash I'd seen my father wore. It was a deep blue, tied in an intricate knot at Edward's hip. He still wore something that represented us on his uniform. His green eyes traveled to mine and he smiled crookedly.

_The pendant is gorgeous on you, _Fíorghrá. _Do you like it? _he asked.

_I love it, _ti'ane. _I wish I could run into your arms, _I sighed. He nodded, giving me a mental kiss. Walking up to the dais, I stood in front of the throne. The doors opened and a party of people were led in by the imperial guard. A tall man, wearing all white and having translucent white skin and white eyes followed regally. Admiral Cullen was to his left, wearing a similar uniform to Edward. A woman was next to Admiral Cullen, looking very much like Edward. To the right of the white man, there was a man who was average height, with a shiny bald head. His uniform was the same as Edward's minus the sash.

"Empress Nirabelle, Leader of the Cygnarian people, please allow us to introduce Federation President, Eleazar M'Tak, Admiral Carlisle Cullen and Captain Jean-Luc Picard*," announced the imperial herald.

"Welcome to Forx, Mr. President, Admiral and Captain," I said, giving them a gesture of peace and greeting. "I am pleased that you have arrived safely."

"Thank you for allowing us to come down to your beautiful planet, Empress Nirabelle," said President M'Tak. His voice was deep and resonant, sounding like tubular bells. I walked off the dais and took his extended hand. He bent deeply, pressing his cool forehead to my hand. "I am so very sorry for the loss of your father, Emperor Charel. Admiral Cullen said that he was a fair man, a good man."

"The best, Mr. President," I smiled sadly. "Allow me to introduce to you our Council of Elders, Aro, Caius and Marcusi. They act as an advisory panel and lead in my absence." They bowed and shook hands with the Admiral, President and the new captain. "I look forward to joining the Federation, Mr. President."

"As we look forward to having you," President M'Tak intoned. He nodded at Admiral Cullen who pulled out a large scroll, setting it on the table set up in the throne room. "Before we sign, I need you and your Council of Elders to take the Oath of the Federation."

"Of course," I smiled. Standing immediately behind me, Aro, Caius and Marcusi shuffled in line.

"Please raise your right hands," President M'Tak commanded. We all abided by his gentle command. He spoke quietly and reverently as he walked us through the oath. After we repeated his words, he asked one question. "Do you swear to uphold and abide by the rules of the United Federation of Planets and the Prime Directive?"

"What is the Prime Directive, Mr. President?" asked Caius.

"It is a set of rules that all Federation planets abide by regarding other worlds that are not as technologically advanced as us," Admiral Cullen answered. "It's our guiding principle. It prohibits any Galaxy Fleet personnel from interfering with the internal development of alien civilizations. We cannot use our technology or give our technology to civilizations who are not on the same page as the rest of the Federation, technologically."

"I see," Caius said.

"Our indication that a planet or civilization is ready for us is when they have harnessed jump capabilities," Edward added from his spot on the dais. "Cygnarians have achieved that nearly a hundred years ago. The only thing holding them back is lack of _dilithium_ ore on Forx and outlying planets."

"We will promise to uphold the rules of the United Federation of Planets and this Prime Directive," I said, giving Caius a stern look. The Council of Elders repeated that.

Reaching into his white jacket, President M'Tak retrieved an ancient looking pen. "This pen was first used to sign the treaty between Terrans and Turulians, the species that made first contact with the Terrans when they used their first jump drive nearly four hundred years ago. These two species formed the Federation with one singular mission, to explore the galaxy. With every addition to the United Federation of Planets, this pen is used as a symbol of unity and good faith." President M'Tak bent over, signing his name with a flourish. "Empress Nirabelle?" I took the pen, signing my own name in Cygnarian. "Captain Cullen, you are the Federation officer who sponsored the Cygnarians and Forx. You are the final signature." Edward walked over, taking the pen and signing his name, smiling crookedly.

Holding out his hand, President M'Tak smiled softly. I shook his cool hand. "Welcome to the Federation, Empress."

xx STAR CROSSED xx

The reception and dinner were amazing. We shared some of our finest delicacies for the Federation dignitaries. I was dressed in a navy blue ball gown for the meal. Everyone was there, including Norex and his mate, Lianette. My uncle glared at me, his hatred filling the room. I couldn't let his stares unnerve me. Ignoring him, I played the part of the Empress, thanking my guests and smiling with each new introduction.

Shortly before mid-night, the reception ended and everyone in attendance was invited to my bonding ceremony with Edward. I looked at my imprint. We had very little time to be near one another. He was commandeered by the Federation President and Captain Picard for the most the evening or he was talking with his family. We would be separated in a few short minutes, but by late afternoon, we'd be bonded and we would be able to finally complete our connection.

I couldn't sleep once I got changed into my leggings and tunic. I idly played with my new pendant and wished for the sun to rise early. The sooner it was up, the sooner I would be mated and bonded with my _ti'ane_. I eventually drifted only to be woken up by Jerasse and L'aurien. "Empress, Captain Cullen and Miss Elizabeth are in your suite. They would like to have breakfast with you before you begin getting ready for your bonding ceremony."

"Thank you," I said, wiping my eyes. "Can you arrange for breakfast to be delivered here? _S'ata _muffins with _tala root _tea. Ask Captain Cullen and Miss Elizabeth what they would like." They nodded, leaving me in my chambers. I twisted my hair up and dressed in a simple gown. Taking care of my needs, I walked out to my suite to finally speak with Edward's mother and sister. "Greetings, Captain," I said, giving her a warm gesture.

"I'm no longer a captain. I'm just merely Esme," she said in a light brogue. "This is my daughter, Elizabeth." She returned my greeting before pulling me into her arms. I giggled, unaccustomed to such affection. "I hope you don't mind the hug. I'm not stuffy like those other Galaxy Fleet captains. I like to have fun."

"Mom, you're scaring the poor girl," Elizabeth chided, her voice rough and raspy. Esme stepped back, still holding my hands. "My mother doesn't understand the concept of personal boundaries."

"You hush," Esme snickered. "I just wanted to get to know the woman who finally stole our dear Edward's heart."

"Please, sit," I said, gesturing to the comfortable sofa in my suite. "Jerasse and L'aurien will be back with something for us to eat. Did they ask what you wanted?"

"Whatever you got was fine," Esme said, waving her hand dismissively. "The food last night was delicious. Spicy, but delicious. Will there be more of that at the celebration tonight?"

"My mother has a tendency to think with her stomach," Elizabeth giggled. "I'm the same way. Whenever I go to a new place, I have to try some of the local cuisine."

"I've only ever been to Forx and Lapus. Because of my status as crowned princess, I wasn't allowed the luxuries of travel. My safety was paramount. I should have taken advantage of the replicator while I was aboard the _Volvo_," I giggled.

"The replicator is not the same," Esme shuddered, her nose wrinkled. "It imitates the food. It's not as good as being there. I love this Turulian dish, _n'kaya _stew. I tried it with the replicator and it's _okay._ But on the Turulian home world? It's to die for."

We spent the morning drinking _tala root _tea. I explained the phenomenon of imprinting and how rare my connection with Edward was. Elizabeth asked questions pertaining to the ceremony today and Esme was just over the moon that Edward had made a love match. We spent nearly the whole morning talking. It wasn't until Jerasse and L'aurien reminded me of the time that they left.

Jerasse and L'aurien led me to my bathroom and instructed me to wash myself, but they would help me get ready for my bonding ceremony. I allowed myself an extra-long soak. I scoured my body with the essence of _kinka_. I wanted to smell good for my mate. Finishing up with my bath, I dried off and wrapped my body in a light-weight silken robe. Jerasse and L'aurien removed my robe, preparing my body for my mating. My skin was covered with a sweet-smelling oil. Every bit of my body hair was removed, save for the curls between my legs and the hair atop my head. Using small brushes, Jerasse and L'aurien paint the phrase, _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari_ in ancient Cygnarian underneath my breasts.

Once my body was prepared, they put the robe back on me and began curling my hair. It was an intricate hairstyle, with my circlet weaved into my chocolate brown tresses. My hair was completed and Jerasse and L'aurien applied my makeup with a deft hand. Looking in the mirror, I didn't look like Nirabelle. I looked like my mother, Riannelle.

"Empress, we will prepare your chambers for your mating," L'aurien murmured. "Envoy Maralice will help you get into your gown."

"Thank you," I said, my nerves all a quiver. I walked to where my gown was hanging. It was a flowing, light blue dress that was held up by one singular strap. I would be completely naked underneath it. No undergarments. I shuddered at what would happen after our ceremony. Yes, we would have to endure a celebration, but afterward, Edward and I would be together. His hands would be on my body. His lips would touch mine. Our bodies would connect in the most intimate of ways, fully solidifying our bond and our souls.

Forever.

Maralice walked in, wearing a white gown that was draped over her body fashionably. Around her waist, she wore a blue belt and a gem positioned between her eye brows. White was a color of grieving. Today would be hard for Maralice, not being able to celebrate my bonding ceremony with her beloved Jamel and being reminded of her own attack.

"How is Charanel doing?" I asked as I looked at my best friend.

"He's fine. He and Edward are playing _icktoy_," Maralice smiled. "I overheard them talking and Charanel will be escorting you to Edward before he stands to take his place as Edward's witness."

"Charanel is standing in the place of my father? Giving my soul to Edward?" I asked, my eyes filling with tears. Maralice nodded, hugging me close. "Does he understand?"

"Edward explained it to him, using human terms but yes, Charanel understood. He's taking this responsibility very seriously," Maralice said. "Now, let's get you ready for your big day." Maralice told me to remove my robe and she helped me into my gown. Attaching the single strap, she smiled. She added my jewelry, my empress ring and the two silver bracelets from yesterday. I also wore Edward's pendant around my neck. The last step were my shoes. I slipped them on, standing tall and feeling _li'okir _bats floating in my belly. "Do you have any questions about what will happen after the celebration?"

"No. I remember our talks about mating and bonding," I blushed. My spots sizzled at the mere thought of feeling Edward's warm skin against mine.

"Okay," Maralice said quietly, taking my hands. "I know that Kunnan gave you the injection to prevent your cycle and you cannot get pregnant."

"I couldn't deal with that on top of everything else. You know as well as I do that when Cygnarian females are receptive to getting pregnant, we are crazed. I went through it twice and I was all out of sorts," I shuddered.

"It's what makes the bonding even more animalistic," Maralice said, giving me a sly grin. "Jamel and I mated when I was receptive to conceiving a child, just before he died. It was the most amazing thing we'd ever done. In fact, we did conceive a baby, but I lost it when I was consumed with grief over the death of my mate."

"Oh, Maralice," I breathed, taking her hand.

"It was for the best. I would not have been able to care for the child without Jamel," Maralice said, squeezing my fingers. "Now, no sadness. Today is a happy day. You are to be mated with you _te'atée _mate. Come, we need to get you to the ceremony site. It's the exact location where your parents were joined, Nirabelle."

I smiled and went with my friend to the woods just to the east of the imperial palace. There was a light blue tent set up. Caius and Aro were sitting in there, talking to my brother in hushed tones. My brother was wearing a pair of gray pants, a loose blue shirt and a dark blue jacket with a royal blue sash tied across his chest. His brown hair was tamed and he wore his circlet along with his own _ioti_ ring. "Charanel, you look so handsome," I murmured, walking towards him. "You look like Father."

"I miss him, Nirabelle," Charanel said quietly. "I want to be like Father, but I'm _yanhesh_."

"You are not," I said sternly, taking his face in my hands. "You may not be as smart as Father, but you have a good heart and you love so much. I'm proud that you are my brother. I will always be proud of you, Charanel. Who told you that you are _yanhesh?_"

"Uncle Rex," Charanel said, his spots glowing in shame. "He doesn't like me."

I pursed my lips, wanting to find Norex and punch him in the nose.

_I heard that, Bella_, Edward chimed in my brain. _It's tempting. Trust me. He's here and raising holy hell that this is sacred ground that we're desecrating. Marcusi is so close to having him thrown out. _

_Can he? Please?_ I pleaded mentally. _He's been calling my brother a _yanhesh_. That's…that's…_

_Awful. Makes me want to punch him in the nose, _Edward growled.

"Empress, it's time," said Jerasse. She was dressed in a beautiful blue dress. Her blonde hair curled and flowing down her back. My body trembled and Charanel hugged me. His jovial face went away and he slipped on the impassive mask of a royal. We taught him that quickly. Even though Charanel may be developmentally delayed, he looked normal. You wouldn't know that he was mentally challenged until you spoke with him. I taught him to look proud, arrogant and blank when he was acting as a royal.

"Charanel, thank you for escorting me to Edward," I said as we walked to the end of the aisle. It was long and covered with white petals.

"He is your soul and love, Nirabelle," Charanel murmured. "Why wouldn't I do this?" I stood on my tip toes and kissed my brother's cheek. He blushed. Maralice checked my dress once more before scurrying to her seat among my people and our honored guests. "I love you, Bella. You'll always be my sissy."

"I love you, too, Charanel," I sniffled as I took his hand. Stiffly, we walked down the long aisle. I tried to take in all of that I could. Above us, there floating flowers that were so fragrant, it made the air sweet. Closer to the front of the aisle, I saw Counselor Marcusi standing on a raised platform, covered with _tika _and _kinka_ flowers. He was dressed in his blue ceremonial robes. Standing to the right of Marcusi was Edward, dressed similarly to Charanel, except his sash was light blue, matching my gown. Pinned at his hip was an _ioti_ brooch that belonged to my father. Upon his head, Edward wore his own _ioti_ circlet.

Approaching the platform, Charanel and I bowed deeply. Marcusi began the ceremony, speaking in ancient Cygnari and telling the story of the first bonding. Once he was finished, Marcusi smiled at my brother. "Who gives the Empress to this man, to reunite your soul?"

With a practiced accent, Charanel spoke clearly. "On behalf of my mother and father, I do," he intoned. Charanel kissed my cheek and placed my hand within Edward's and took his place behind my imprint. Maralice stood up, walking behind me.

Marcusi began speaking again in ancient Cygnari. I moved so I was holding both of Edward's hands. His mind caressed mine. _There are no words, Nirabelle. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. I cannot believe that you are mine and I am yours. _

_Always, I'll be yours_, I cooed. The world around us didn't exist. It was just Edward and me, holding hands and preparing for our final bond.

I felt a subtle push to my back and I shook my head. Marcusi was smiling indulgently. There were a few titters among our guests. "The mating bond is as old as this world. Gravity does not hold us to the ground, our imprint does. Your sun, your moon, your stars are all connected to the one you have bonded with. A _te'atée _bond is so rare that only two times prior has this bond been made. You do not have connected souls. Your soul is one. Maralice, may I have the sash?"

Maralice handed him a royal blue sash. Edward and I moved closer together, threading our fingers together. Marcusi wrapped the sash around our joint hands. He said the mating vow in ancient Cygnari, murmuring how our souls were forever connected and bonded, our love transcending everything around us and being the most important thing. I could feel our bond strengthening through our mental connection. Edward's eyes were glimmering, looking like emeralds against his pale skin. When Marcusi instructs Maralice and Charanel to touch our shoulders, I was nearly bowled over with the strength of our connection. Edward's fingers tightened around mine and his eyes darkened.

"Both of you repeat after me…_Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari,_" Marcusi murmured.

Reverently, we both repeated the phrase, "_Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari."_

"The bond is nearly complete," Marcusi said. "Please seal it with a _senelle_." Maralice and Charanel gently pushed us together. Edward's cheeks were flushed and his lips were parted. Slowly, he bent his head and his mouth hovered over my own. Angling my own head, I stood on my tiptoes, closing the gap between our mouths. Our connection exploded in our heads, wrapping around us like white hot tendrils of passion, love and devotion. Edward's sweet mouth moved gently over mine and he held our hands to his rapidly beating heart beneath his chest. "_Te-atée miru, ti'ane miru, sa-ahari,_" Marcusi said happily. Our guests repeated that and a warmth surrounded Edward and me.

Breaking apart, we were panting. Edward's pink lips were swollen and his eyes were _glowing_ a bright green. He smiled crookedly, brushing his lips against mine once more before we turned and walked down the aisle, _tika _flowers falling from the canopy. Our hands were still bound with the sash, making it difficult to walk. Arriving at the tent where I waited for the ceremony to start, Edward released our hands and his warm fingers trailed down my spots. I could feel my body react, wanting to mate with him.

"I'm yours," he whispered, his fingers still caressing my spots on my neck. They were sizzling and giving me pleasure. "You're mine…"

"Yes," I breathed. He leaned forward, kissing my mouth tenderly. My hands moved to his hair, tangling into the soft strands. Our lips were languid in their movement, but the promise of more was apparent. Love poured out of each kiss. I wanted to crawl up his body and stay in his arms forever.

"Empress," called Maralice from outside of the tent. "The guests are going to the palace. Official holos need to be taken for the announcements."

We broke apart. Edward's eyes were glowing brighter and I could feel everything from, his emotions, his joy and his arousal. Literally, I could feel that pressed to my belly. "It's real," Edward murmured, his fingers trailing down my spots. "I felt our connection. I feel everything, _Fíorghrá_."

"It will grow stronger with time," I said. "Unfortunately, we cannot lose ourselves to the connection just yet, _te'atée. _We must have our pictures taken." Edward's pout was adorable. I kissed it away, because I could. Threading our fingers together, we emerged from the tent. Marcusi was smiling widely. "What?"

"I thought your bond was strong before, but now?" Marcusi replied. "It's glowing all around you. I wish everyone could see it." Edward held me closely, nuzzling my cheek. I melted against his strong body. If possible, Marcusi's grin spread wider.

"We need to go to the dais before sun dips below the mountains, Empress," Maralice said, leading us back down the aisle. The sun cast the location where we had our ceremony in a warm, honeyed glow. Charanel was standing with Admiral Cullen and his wife, Esme. They were talking with my brother. With my acute Cygnarian hearing, I could hear them praise Charanel for being such a wonderful brother. Charanel blushed and ducked behind his hands, his royal façade gone.

The palace holographer positioned us and took many holos and even some traditional photos. Nearly an hour after our ceremony, we finally went to the palace's grand ballroom. Edward and I sat down at the table in front of our honored guests. We had our meal to get through, plus a human tradition of the first dance and eating cake. The cake part was appropriate since tomorrow was _Hisnari_. Our palace bakers baked a large cake that looked like an oversized _nari_ cake. Our guests would get smaller versions of it. Charanel would get two since he loved _nari _cakes.

We had traditional Cygnarian dishes. Edward took great pleasure in feeding me as often as he could. His hands were always touching me and his eyes were a warm green, shimmering in the light of the ballroom. I kissed his lips, strengthening our bond and making myself quite aroused. I knew that my dress had many, many layers, but the wetness between my legs was almost embarrassing.

After we had finished our meals, Edward and I walked to the center of the ballroom. Norex and his brood were sitting just off the edge of the platform where the large _nari_ cake was positioned. He glared at me disdainfully. I ignored him, cutting into the cake with my mate. Standing next to Edward, we fed each other a piece of the _nari_ cake. We sealed our union with a kiss while Edward escorted me in front of the platform. Edward took me in his arms, holding my hand over his frantically beating heart. An old earth song began playing and we swayed to the music. Once the music was done, Edward dipped his head and brushed his lips across mine. Our connection crackled. I shuddered in his arms, needing to be alone with him.

"All rise for Empress Nirabelle and Emperor Edward," intoned Counselor Aro. "Blessings on you both…" He began clapping and the room exploded in applause as they all stood up. Edward and I began making our way out of the ballroom. We stopped at the table that hosted Admiral Cullen and his family, along with President M'Tak. My mate shook hands with the males while he hugged his mother and sister. With a gesture of peace, Edward and I left the ballroom. We walked toward my chambers where we would finally fully bond as mates.

"Nirabelle! Ed!" called Charanel as he bustled out of the door. "I know I won't see you, but I'm happy for you both." My brother hugged me, holding me tightly. "_Te'una fei'rine_. I love you, sister." Charanel looked at Edward, smiling brightly. "_Te'une, fei'rene. _I love you, brother." Edward hugged Charanel and rubbed his back. When they pulled apart, Charanel slipped back into the royal mask. He bowed, walking stiffly back into the ballroom.

"Enjoy your _nari_ cakes," Edward called. "They are in your chambers." Charanel turned, beaming excitedly and waving at Edward before he slipped back inside of the ballroom. My mate turned to me, his eyes predatory. "Now, finally, we can be alone."

"Yes," I breathed. Edward smiled seductively, swooping me in his arms. He started walking the opposite direction of my suite. "_Ti'ane_, it's the other way," I giggled.

"Shit," he snorted. Wrinkling his nose, he put me down and looked at me sheepishly. "Lead the way. I'm obviously turned around."

I bit my lip, tugging on his hand. Our trip back to my suite was quick. Using my palm, I opened the door and pulled Edward inside. Setting the computer to lock the door, only to be opened in emergencies, I leaned against the hard wood, staring up at Edward. His eyes were sweeping over my glowing spots and heaving body.

"Before we lose ourselves, I want to give you something," Edward said. "This was given to me by Counselor Marcusi. It was worn by your mother." He reached into his inner pocket of his jacket and removed a small, velvet pouch. "In human culture, a woman wears a ring to signify she is married. Obviously, we are much more than that, but I wanted you to have something that represented me and you and your family. The stone is an _ioti_ stone, worn by your mom. The ring itself is from my family. Working with a jeweler well into the night last night, after the reception, this is what was created." He handed me a ring. The _ioti_ stone glimmered in the candlelight of my suite. I remembered my mother wearing this, except hers was in a bracelet. "Will you wear this?"

"Always," I murmured. Edward smiled, picking up my left hand and sliding the ring on my third finger. "Do human males wear rings?"

"Yes," Edward replied. "On the same finger." I grinned softly, walking to my safe where I kept my father's belongings. Originally, we wanted them on display, but someone tried to steal them from the Imperial Palace. So, I locked them in my suite. Finding what I wanted, I walked back to Edward. "This was my father's. He wore every day except when he went into battle. This is a rare _ioti_ stone, even rarer than the ones we wear." I held it up and the stone luminesced. "It glows. Only in our atmosphere, though. We have trace gases that react with the stone that make it glow. Only the Emperor can wear this. Since you are the Emperor and my mate, you can wear it." I pushed it onto his left finger, but it was too big. My father's hands were quite large. Edward put it on his pointer finger, smiling softly.

"I will wear it with honor, my Bella," he whispered.

"The jewelers can size it," I tittered nervously. He nodded, taking my face in his hands. His warm eyes met mine. They were glowing again. "So beautiful…"

"That would be you, love," Edward murmured. My body shuddered and my spots shimmered, needing his touch. "I feel like I'm about to crawl out of my skin. I need you so badly."

"Bedroom," I whispered, kissing his lips. I took his hand, leading him to my private chambers. Like my suite, every flat surface was littered with soft, glowing candles. Their wicks had been treated with a solution that made the flames flicker in a light blue. My bedding had been replaced with dark, midnight blue sheets with sheer fabric swathed over the posts. Edward looked at the room, but his eyes cut to me, staring at me hungrily. "Tonight, we complete our bond. Our soul has reunited and forever, we will be one." I reached to the single strap holding my dress on my body. With a flick of my wrist, the strap fell away and the dress slipped down my body to the floor.

"My God," Edward whispered, his eyes traveling up my body. "Perfection…you are…there are no words, Bella…" His hands slid up my arms and cupped my face. With a tender kiss, he drew me closer to his body. My fingers gripped his jacket, wanting there to be nothing between us. I pushed his jacket over his shoulders and it fell onto the marble floor with a soft thump. Edward pulled back, tossing the sash along with the jacket. My fingers nimbly worked over the buttons of his shirt until I was met with warm, supple skin. Pressing my palms to his chest, I slid them up and down his torso. He shuddered, shrugging out of his shirt and wrapped his strong arms around me. His lips found mine, possessing me with his mouth. His thoughts were singularly on me, my body and our love, echoing my own mind.

I slowly pulled away and fell to my knees. Reaching up to his trousers, I started to unbutton them. "Bella, no, love…"

"It's expected," I murmured.

"Not tonight, _Fíorghrá,_" he said, helping me to my feet. "It's our mating night and I want to show you how much I love you. I want to cherish and worship you, Bella. I don't want you to be subservient to me. You are an empress. You should not be on your knees."

"You said that before," I murmured. "When we spoke to Marcusi…"

"And I firmly stand by it, Bella," he said, his voice strong. He swept me in his arms, carrying me toward the bed. Gently, he placed me on the dark satin sheets. He crawled into the bed with me, hovering over my body. "I want taste, kiss and love every inch of your beautiful body, Empress." His lips found mine and I gasped as I felt his body pressed against me. His skin was so warm, so soft and so perfectly masculine. My hands flew to his hair as he kissed me so tenderly. I could feel my spots glow, sizzle and beg for more. His hands moved down my body, running a single fingertip along the length of my torso. "They go all of the way down, love. Your spots are one of the many things I love about you."

"Touch me," I pleaded, my voice sounding wanton and needy. He kissed me, running his hands along body.

"I knew they glowed, but your spots are so warm, making my hand tingle," Edward mused. His lips found my neck and his tongue started licking my markings. I was shuddering in pleasure, wanting to feel him. His hands continued their movement along my body before they reached my breasts, palming them gently. With a twist of his body, Edward moved us so I was perched on his lap. His mouth glided down until her pulled on my breasts between his teeth. Looking up at me, his green eyes were glowing, undoubtedly like mine. Our soul was wanting to be connected and our eyes were the window to that connection.

My hands were tangled in Edward's soft silky hair. He removed the circlet he wore for the ceremony just after we sat down to eat. He said that he was unused to it. Maralice took it from him and placed it in his quarters, locking it in the safe. I could touch his hair unhindered. _Bella, my Bella,_ Edward's mind cooed as his mouth moved back to my lips. His arms were wrapped around my body, holding me against his muscular chest. Our kisses were growing in intensity and passion. My arousal between my legs was wet and slick, coating my skin. "I love you," he whispered, rolling gently and pressing me onto the dark sheets. "All of you."

"Edward, _te'atée_," I breathed. He smiled crookedly, kissing my mouth before making a trek down my body. His fingers were gliding over my skin, teasing my spots. He kissed the phrase underneath my breasts, murmuring it to me with adoring eyes. His lips moved further down my body. Running his nose along my hips, his hands gently pried my legs apart. In his mind, he showed me what he intended to do. Cygnarian males were attentive lovers, as far as I know, but not to _that_ extent. "Is that something humans do?"

"Yes and women find it to be very pleasurable. I want to do it to you, Bella," he said quietly. "If you don't…"

_Please…I want to feel you everywhere,_ I breathed mentally, not fully confident in my voice.

That was all that Edward needed to hear. His eyes moved to the intimate place between my legs. The place that only he will see. Lowly, I could feel a growl and Edward leaned forward, kissing my lower lips gently. My body jack knifed off the bed. My spots were not glowing, but shining brightly. Every inch of my skin was on fire. Edward rumbled between my legs, his tongue tasting my sex, flicking along my folds. Unbidden, my legs spread further apart, wanting him to see all of me, to taste all of me. The intimacy of this act made me even more aroused. Evidence of that arousal was seeping out of me and undoubtedly onto Edward's tongue and lips.

When he added his fingers into the mix, I thought I was going to die from ecstasy. His movements were gentle and smooth, curling inside of my body. His mind was reeling with how 'tight' and 'wet' I was. I assumed those were good things because he was kissing my sex fervently. All along my body, I felt a tingling feeling. It was emanating from my spots but focusing on where Edward was kissing. My hips were moving, grinding against his fingers and my hands clung to the sheets. With a silent scream, I arched off the bed, feeling the most amazing thing. Edward must have stopped because his thoughts were of watching me as my body exploded with lights.

Collapsing on the bed, I was panting heavily. Edward crawled up and he gathered me in his arms, kissing me softly. "That was the single most exquisite thing I've ever seen, _Fíorghrá._ Does that happen with all Cygnarians?"

"The lights?" I asked, running my fingers through his sparse hair on his belly. "I don't know. In my discussions with Maralice, she never told me about her body exploding in lights when…" My spots sizzled in anticipation.

"When you had an orgasm," Edward purred, his lips finding mine. "Like I said, it was exquisite." He kissed my mouth. "Beautiful." His lips traveled to my jaw. "Lovely." He captured my ear and suckled on it. "Perfect…" _ I want to make love to you, Bella. My gorgeous Bella._

"Please," I breathed as my hands slid down his body to finish removing his pants. However, they were already gone. Biting my lip, I sat up and looked at Edward. "You saw all of me. It's only fair."

Edward laughed, _Ogle away, my love_.

"What does oogle mean?" I asked.

"Ogle," he corrected. "It means to stare unabashedly. I've got nothing to hide. I'm completely yours, _Fíorghrá._"

"I want to touch you," I breathed. "You are so beautiful, Edward…but what is this marking along your ribcage? It looks like the cover of the box that my pendant was in."

"It's my family's crest. I got it permanently tattooed to my skin. It doesn't wash off. It's there, forever," he replied. He rolled so I could look at it closely. It was beautiful, swirling in black and grey, popping out on his pale skin. I ran my fingers along the tattoo, tracing it. Edward shivered and his skin erupted with small bumps.

"Did I harm you?" I asked, pulling my hand away.

"Quite the opposite. It felt amazing," Edward breathed. I smiled, leaning forward and pressed an open-mouthed kiss to his tattoo. Edward moaned quietly and I continued kissing his sweet smelling skin. It reminded me of _fiorien _fruit, spicy and tart, but with a subtle sweetness. My hands glided across his body until I reached his manhood. I was grateful that I looked up information on the human male anatomy. He was bigger than any Cygnarian on the planet, with a rounded head. The skin was red and it twitched. I bit my lip, looking at his arousal. "It's not going to bite, Bella."

"Cygnarian men are not as well-endowed," I blushed. "It's similar, but much smaller." I looked at him, smiling widely. "I want to feel you. All of you. Inside of me." Leaning down, I kissed my mate, my _ti'ane_. His arms wrapped around me and he rolled us on the bed so he was above me.

"I'll go slowly, _Fíorghrá,_" he murmured. "Squeeze my hands if it hurts and I'll stop."

"You could never hurt me," I whispered. "This may be my first time bonding with you, but I know you'd never hurt me."

He smiled softly, leaning down to brush his lips against mine. His hands cupped my face as he balanced on his forearms. My legs were spread and balanced around his hips. I could feel his hardness press against my sex. Pulling back, he stared into my eyes. _You are my world. My reason for breathing, Nirabelle. _He reached between us and he positioned his manhood at my entrance. "I love you. _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari._" He slid inside of me and I gasped, my spots simmering. I could feel our bond, wrapping around us tightly, pressing him deeper in my body. I expected it to hurt, but I felt nothing but ecstasy. So did Edward. "Heavens above…I had no idea, my love."

"Edward," I sobbed, clutching his face and staring into his glowing green eyes, showering me with his love. With each languid thrust, my vision grew sharper and Edward's face and beauty was enhanced. _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari, _I whimpered to him mentally. He smiled softly, kissing me with such reverence that I thought I'd sob from happiness, joy and pleasure. We were so tangled together that I didn't know where he ended and I began. For the first time in my life, I felt complete, whole and infallible.

"My Bella. Oh, God," he panted, his forehead pressed to mine. "Every inch of my skin is…I can't describe it. I don't want it to stop."

_It's our final bond. We are truly one now,_ I moaned mentally as my lips found his, kissing him passionately. My spots were shimmering, glowing like when Edward was doing that thing with his tongue. His thrusts were much more forceful and I was now rocking with him, wanting him further inside.

"Bella, I'm so close, _Fíorghrá,_" he panted, his arms tightening around me. I scratched my nails down his back. He trembled, his rhythm faltering. I squeezed him with my body, losing myself in our final connection, our bond. Edward roared as his body suddenly came to a halt. I felt him spill inside of me. My spots exploded in a rainbow of lights as I experienced my own pleasure, milking his manhood as it twitched within my body. He slowly came back to himself, pumping languorously until he slipped out. My spots were still glowing and would probably stay that way for a long time. He tried to roll off me, but I held onto him. "I've got to crushing you."

"No, I like it," I said, looking up at his handsome face. "I was told of the power of the bond, but I never thought it could be this intoxicating." _I never want to wear clothes again. I just want you. Only you._

_You won't get any complaints from me,_ Edward chuckled as he got up from his spot in my arms.

"Where are you going?" I whispered.

"I would be a poor mate if I didn't take care of my _Fíorghrá,_" he said, bowing as he got off the bed. He wandered into the bathroom and returned with a white cloth. Tenderly, he wiped down my inner thighs and my sex, which was now feeling the evidence of our coupling. It was a delicious pain, one that I didn't want to ignore. He finished caring for me and he walked back to the bathroom, tossing the cloth inside. As he strode back into the bedroom, I truly looked at my mate. His body was strong, lithe and muscular. His shoulders were broad and his waist was slim. It was obvious that he took excellent care of his form. I glanced down at his manhood and even in its flaccid form, it was impressive. "I see you ogling," he laughed, climbing back into the bed and gathering me in his warm embrace.

"You're mine, so I can oogle as much as I want," I giggled, tracing my fingers over his muscled torso.

"I am yours," he said, his fingers gliding up and down my back. "I wish we could just stay here and be happy…"

"Well, we have three days before we are obligated to leave these chambers," I said, twining my fingers into his slightly damp hair.

"What about the Federation President? Your admittance to the Federation? There is a lot to be done, Bella," Edward said.

"There is, but the Council of Elders is giving us time to bond, mate and just be," I explained. "Your father pushed it with President M'Tak. I overheard him speaking to him during dinner."

"You could hear that? I never knew that Cygnarians had such strong hearing," Edward chuckled, his hand caressing my still glowing spots. "So, three days? Hmmmm…?"

"Yes, _ti'ane_," I said. "Three days of being with you. Only with you. No threats of the Alphans, a cloaked vessel or bitter uncles."

"And no clothes," Edward smirked.

"I love the sound of that," I cooed, covering his mouth with mine and we lost ourselves in our bond for the second time.

**A/N: Soooo, how was the extraterrestrial lemon? Good? Bad? Mediocre? What about the mating bonding ceremony? Pictures for that are on my blog and tumblr, along with Bella's dress and their rings. Links for those are on my profile. I am also planning on starting a blog specifically for this story within the next couple of weeks. Be on the lookout for that. Just saying…**

**Up next, we are going back to Edward and we will have citrusy time in his point of view. They will enjoy some time in Bella's bathtub. (Did you see that bathroom? It's freaking amazing!) We're also going to have some drama with the Alphans. As always, please leave me some! **

_Hisnari ~ a celebration on Forx; people exchange gifts and eat special cakes, Nari cakes_ _in celebration of this holy day when the Cygnarian people were created_

_Ioti ~ moonstones with a pink-ish, pearlescent sheen_

_Kinka ~ a deep purple flower that resembles a calla lily. _

_Yanhesh ~ Cygnarian insult, someone so stupid that the dirt has more intelligence or fucktard_

_Giju'ri ~ a game, played by boys and men, a cross between cricket, jai alai and softball_

_Te'une fei'rene ~ Cygnarian phrase, I love you, my brother. _

_Fíorghrá ~ Gaelic word, meaning true love_

_Dilithium ~ crystals used in the jump core of a starship; used to balance matter and antimatter and its reaction to allow starships to travel faster than the speed of light._

_N'kaya ~ Turulian sausage, very spicy and used in stews_

_Icktoy ~ Cygnarian game, Chinese checkers_

_Li'okir ~ large bats, roughly the size of falcons that reside on the planet of Forx_

_Te-atée miru, ti'ane miru, sa-ahari ~ One soul, one love, forever_

_Fiorien fruit ~ combination of apple, basil and vanilla (the scent), tastes like a tart pear with a spicy bite_

*I had to. I just had to. 'Make it so, Number One.*


	6. Chapter 6

**So, something completely different…I'm struggling with writer's block and I'm hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group's walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I've always been interested in **_**Star Trek**_** and science fiction. Even before **_**Twilight,**_** it caught my attention. I even wrote some **_**Star Trek: Deep Space Nine**_** fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn't really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I'm not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own **_**Star Trek, **_**which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Thank you to the Fic Sisters for their recommendation on their blog! I was so excited when I read it! It made my **_**week!**_

**Up next, we are going back to Edward and we will have citrusy time in his point of view. They will enjoy some time in Bella's bathtub. (Did you see that bathroom? It's freaking amazing!) We're also going to have some drama with the Alphans. As always, please leave me some! **

**Chapter Six**

**EPOV**

I spent most of the night watching my mate, my _Fíorghrá. _She was curled next to me, her limbs twined with mine and still deliciously naked. I'd been with a fair share of women. Some human and some not human. Klaxon traditions in the bedroom were downright brutal. I had so many broken bones with that tryst. But nothing felt like what I had with Nirabelle. My heart felt like it was truly beating and I was wrapped in a blanket of warmth, contentment and absolute pleasure.

The sun began its ascent in the Cygnarian sky. Bella moaned, rolling away from the window. She used my body as a block. I chuckled. Her lithe form was pressed against me and I was definitely experiencing some morning wood. Her sweet little bottom wriggling against my skin awoke my body. I traced my fingers down her still glowing spots. She shuddered.

"That feels good," she purred, her voice rough sleep but still so beautiful.

"What? This?" I asked, repeating the action from before. She moaned, her body inching back to mine. She was on her side. My chest was pressed to her back. Gliding my fingers along her spots, I watched as she became more and more aroused.

"Your hands on me, it's like it's meant to be," she breathed, turning to look at me. Her blue eyes were sparkling but hooded with desire.

"More, love?" I asked, nuzzling her neck and suckling on her earlobe. She pleaded mentally for more of what I did last night. I smiled against her skin, knowing exactly what she meant. After our third time making love, she explained that Cygnarian men didn't touch a woman between her legs with anything except their manhood. Kissing her down there brought my mate, my love, untold pleasure and she craved it. Frankly, so did I. I loved tasting a woman from where she was the sweetest. It had only happened with my ex-wife, really. It was too intimate of an act to do with a stranger. I missed doing it and now, adored being able to kiss my mate's sex with my mouth, knowing I'll be the only one to do it.

"Edward," she breathed. _Where were you? _

"With you, _Fíorghrá_, only with you," I said, kissing her mouth. Her fingers tangled in my hair as she hooked her leg over my hip. She rocked against my thigh and her arousal spilling out of her was abundant. I kissed down her sexy, beautiful body, tasting every inch of her skin. She whimpered and almost purred when I traced my tongue along her spots. They gave me almost an electric shock, acting as an aphrodisiac. With each taste, I grew harder.

Gently, I spread Bella's legs. I kissed her inner thighs, along the spots that were at the seam where her leg met her torso. She looked almost human. The spots obviously indicated that she was not, along with her sweet, succulent flavor. Running my tongue along the length of her sex, I growled lowly at her taste. Bella's hands thrust to my hair and she spread her legs further. Flicking my tongue along her aroused nub, I slid two fingers inside of her body. Curling them in her, Bella was rocking against me, begging for more with her mind. I eagerly complied, not wanting to deny my perfect mate. Her happiness and safety were paramount.

"Oh, Edward," she sobbed, her fingers moving from my hair and clutching the navy bedding. Keeping my mouth on her and moving my fingers inside slowly but steadily, she climaxed quietly, arching off the mattress. Like each time she came, her spots were brightly shining, even brighter than the sun that was now fully in the sky. The lights that emanated from my mate, warmed me in a way I never knew. I felt whole, complete and shielded by her love.

Kissing her thighs, I crawled back up her body and rolled us so I was on my back. Bella was kissing me, tasting herself on my lips. _I need you, Bella_, I thought to her. She smiled against my mouth, pulling back. I showed her what I wanted and a look of confusion ghosted over her beautiful face. "You can make love to me, too, _Fíorghrá_. I want you to."

"How?" Bella asked, her eyes darkening and her smile seductive and predatory. I showed her again and she bit her lip. Finding my hardness, she grasped it and slid down slowly. She was so tight and hugged every inch of my arousal. "Like this?"

"Yes," I choked out, grasping her slender hips. She began rocking over me, taking me deeper inside. I bit my lip, trying to prevent my foul mouth from rearing its ugly head. Not one of my more attractive qualities, I assure you.

"Your mind is blocking me, Edward," she said, taking my hands and using her Cygnarian strength to push them above my head. Bella may look like a waif, but with the proper training, she could probably kick my ass. "Why are you holding back?"

"I don't want to offend you with my foul mouth," I chuckled, struggling against her hold.

She smiled, her lips brushing mine. _I don't mind, _ti'ane_. Do you like it when I fuck you? _My eyes widened. "Didn't think I knew that word?" she giggled, her lips moving down my jaw. "English has many ways of describing what we're doing. Last night, we made love for the first time. I felt it, Edward."

"Yes," I panted as she kept her hips moving, taking me deeper and deeper inside.

"Then, just before we went to sleep, you had this look like you had to have me, but I still felt your love. I think, if I'm interpreting it correctly, we had sex," she breathed against my ear. "Now, I'm fucking you." _But, I want you to fuck me_.

"Holy hell," I growled, rolling us. Bella fell onto her back, her hands still trying to control mine. "On your hands and knees, Nirabelle." She smiled but it wasn't seductive or kind, but carnal. She licked her lips as she got on her hands and knees, wriggling her behind enticingly. I slid off the bed and gently pulled Bella to the edge. Grasping my cock, I teased her dripping folds. Bella looked at me, her eyes simmering and her spots now a deep purple. With a thrust of my hips, I was buried, balls deep inside of my mate. She shrieked, but her mind was begging for more. So much more.

It wasn't long before we both screamed in pleasure and I released inside of Bella. Trembling, Bella collapsed on the bed and I did the same. She snuggled against my sweaty chest. "Your scent has changed."

"That's because I'm a mess," I snorted. "I haven't showered since yesterday. I'm quite pungent and not in a good way."

"Come, let's enjoy a nice long bath. I'm certain your muscles would enjoy that," Bella said, tugging on my hand. "So would my nostrils." She giggled. I rolled my eyes, following her into a large bathroom that was dominated by a huge bathtub. I wouldn't even call it a bathtub. It looked like a small pool. It was filled with fragrant water and was steaming. "Let me get some towels. Go on in. I'll join you in a moment." I nodded dumbly, stepping into the hot water. The tub was a meter and half deep, coming up to my chest. It would probably be above Bella's head, but seemed excited to get into the tub. It had been years since I had been submersed in water. The last time I remembered was when I was in my zero-gravity training and we were in a deep pool, wearing our suits.

Bella came back, dropping a handful of towels next to the tub. She had removed all of her jewelry, save for her ring and new pendant. With a sway of her hips, she stepped into the tub and dunked herself in the water. Pushing off the last step, she glided silently through the warm water and popped up right next to me. She blinked a few times and smiled. I arched a brow. I hadn't noticed it before but she had a third eyelid. "We're very at home in the water, Edward," she chuckled, moving to wrap her legs around my waist. "It's one of evolution's little flukes."

"Are you amphibian?" I asked, holding her. She had a belly button and breasts, clearly indicating that she was a mammal. But the third, clear eyelid?"

"No, but we have some amphibian qualities. I do not need to breathe while underwater. The spots act like gills, absorbing the oxygen through my skin. I am and as are all of my people, mammals with amphibian abilities," she said, her arms wrapped around my neck. "Humans have descended from apes. Cygnarians must have found a way to mate with an amphibian and thus, our species was born. Most of our abilities are ignored, unless they are harnessed. My father was adamant on teaching me to love the water. Charanel is terrified and won't get in it. He lives for his sonic showers while I find them to be a headache." Bella made an adorable face. "It's not good for my ears."

"I never noticed it," I said, leaning against the tiled wall.

"You probably wouldn't. It's beyond the human hearing range," Bella explained. "In many ways, we are similar, Edward. We walk on two legs, use two hands, have one heart, one head and bear children in the same way. There are obvious differences as well. Cygnarians are stronger than humans."

"As displayed a few minutes ago in the bedroom," I smiled, squeezing Bella's behind.

"It's due in part to the slightly heavier gravity on our planet. We also have the spots, which I told you about. They also can display our emotions. Different colors indicate different emotions. Spot color emotional display is prevalent in females while males display their emotions with a glow of their eyes. Men's spots glow, but only related to their born eye color."

"Could that be the reason why you turn into a light bulb when we make love?" I teased.

She giggled. "Yes, I do. When a Cygnarian wears white, they are in mourning. When a Cygnarian woman glows white, it means that she is happy, content, loved and safe. Wearing white is a way for the widow or the widower to feel safe and loved even with their mate gone."

"What does purple mean?" I asked.

"That's the animal inside. Carnal, feral and out of control," Bella explained. She bit her lip. "Cygnarian women go through four cycles a year in which she can become pregnant with child. During those cycles, we lose ourselves and experience a sex-induced mania. All we want is to be bonded and to procreate. I think the closest thing I could equate to is a dog in heat. When a male and female have sex during this time, it is truly mating. Rough, animalistic and dirty. They mate as much as they can to create a new life."

"Did you experience that while we were…" I trailed off.

"No. I haven't experienced that in nearly a year," Bella explained. "The doctor's injected me with a medication to prevent my body in going into that mania. I needed to focus on my people, the death of my father, my brother and trying to save my planet. I couldn't spend months on end in this _El-lak D'nus._"

"What about the men? Do they experience this _El-lak D'Nus?_" I asked.

"It's triggered by their mates. When a woman goes into the fever, so does the man. The fever lasts, for a mated couple, for a week. There is a lot of sex, fucking." Bella blushed, biting her lip. "If no child is conceived, then the cycle repeats in four months' time."

"But we will be able to have a child?" I questioned, wanting to see a beautiful baby that looked like my mate.

"Yes, Edward. But not for another year," she said. "That is when the injection will wear off. Counselor Aro suggested that I take the antidote so we could produce an heir sooner rather than later, but we have much to do. I would love to be the mother of your child. I can't wait, really. But my duty is to my people. Not my hormones."

Her stomach snarled and she blushed. My echoed the sentiment. "It sounds like we're in desperate need of some food," I chuckled. "Let's get washed up, fed and then, I need more sleep."

"That sounds lovely," Bella said, kissing my scruffy jaw.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

The next three days were spent in various stages of undress. Bella, while inexperienced, was insatiable. I was afraid that she was in pain, but she never complained, only begging for more. Hell, I was with her. I was just as hungry for Bella as she was for me. The mere thought of being out of her arms made me sick. I was dreading going back to the _real world_. The world where there was a race of warriors, ready to attack and decimate all of Forx and its outlying colonies.

Dressing in my uniform, I checked on my mate. She was sad, wearing a pair of tight leggings and a long tunic with a belt around her waist. Weaved into her hair was a different circlet. "I'm not looking forward to this meeting with the Admiral, Captain Picard, the council and Norex," she said.

"There's something fishy about Norex," I replied, wrinkling my nose. "Was he close to your father?"

"No. Norex was born about ten years before me. My father's mother thought that she couldn't have any more children, but gave birth to Norex when my father was in his mid-forties," Bella answered.

"What is the age expectancy for Cygnarians?" I asked.

"The average age of death is nearly two hundred years," Bella said. "I know that humans don't live as long, but I asked Kunnan to look into your DNA to see if we can extend that." I arched a brow. "It is one of the many gifts we can give to the Federation. We cannot fix brain damage because the brain is too complex, but make genetic alterations that can eliminate terminal illness and aging? That is doable. Didyme has received several treatments and she will live as long as her mate."

"I also notice that everyone looks young. Is that also due to this genetic alteration?"

"Somewhat. We do not wrinkle nor do we get grey hair. Our age shows in our eyes. But it's subtle. The way you see me now is the way you'll see me a hundred years from now, save for some more roundness for carrying our children," she smiled, threading our fingers.

"I can't imagine living to be two hundred years old," I snorted. "Looking as I do now."

"You will be as handsome then as you are now, _ti'ane_," Bella smiled. "Kunnan will have your injection soon to slow your aging process. Unlike Cygnarians, you will age, but the rate at which it is done will be slower. You will get grey hair, but the wrinkles, not so much."

My communicator chirped. "Picard to Cullen, come in?"

"Yes, Captain?" I replied, tapping my chest.

"We're all assembled in the council chambers. We're waiting for you," he said dryly.

"On our way, Captain. We apologize for the delay," I blushed. Bella giggled, kissing my neck. "Cullen out." I cupped Bella's chin, smiling indulgently at her. "If only you weren't so sexy…"

"I could argue the same, Edward," she said, her arms wrapping around my waist, squeezing my ass.

"Stop it, Bella. We're already late. I want you. I so want you, but we both have a job to do," I said, kissing her sweet mouth, tasting her. She frowned but nodded. Slightly swatting at her behind, I gently pushed her out to the throne room. We walked to the council chamber. D'Metri and Maralice were waiting outside, along with Jasper and Rosalie. "Is everything alright?"

"So far, everything's fine. President M'Tak asked us to join the meeting," Jasper replied.

"I'm checking on Maralice and then meeting with your brother, Charanel," Rose explained.

"He should be in my suite," Maralice said. "He receives his lessons from a palace tutor in there. D'Metri, could you escort her?"

"Of course," D'Metri said, nodding deeply. "This way, doctor." Rose followed my envoy and we went into the council chambers. Inside, there were three long tables. The Council of Elders was seated at one. President M'Tak, my father and Captain Picard were seated at the table across from the council. The table in the center had two ornate chairs, obviously for Bella and me. We sat down, noticing two chairs behind ours.

"That is amazing," Counselor Marcusi mumbled. "Your bond…I have no words to describe it."

"It's treasonous," Norex snarled as he stomped into the chambers.

"Norex, you were invited here as a courtesy," Counselor Aro sighed. "You represent the senate and the nobles of Forx. If you cannot behave yourself and keep your vitriol to yourself, we will appoint another emissary. Murok expressed interest in working with the Federation. In fact, he placed his name to be considered as one of the Federation delegates."

Norex scowled before stomping to his seat, next to Counselor Caius. "It's wrong that our _emperor_ is a human. He knows nothing of our world."

"As we know nothing of his," Bella snapped. "The Federation fosters these types of relationships. It allows us to learn and grow; to expand our horizons. Or are you so small-minded that you forgot what it was like to have dreams? Hope? A sense of adventure?"

"The damn sense of adventure is what got us into this mess in the first place," Norex said, pounding the table. "Our ancestors left orbit. They traveled through space and upset the Alphans. Thus, beginning this never ending war."

"We don't know that," Bella said.

"She's right, Norex," Aro nodded. "The war has been going on for so long that we don't what started it. It only escalated when we harnessed jump technology."

"Couselor Aro, Lord Norex, this is a conversation for another time," President M'Tak said. "We are grateful for your admittance into the Federation and we are looking forward to learning more about your culture, people and way of life. Now, though, we need to discuss the situation with the Alphans. We sent the _Intrepid_ to your colony at _H'Nan_ because there was word of an attack."

D'Metri came back, sitting down in the chair off to my right. "Doctor Halé is with Prince Charanel," D'Metri said. "She's running some scans."

"Thank you," I replied. "Any word about the cloaked vessels? Are they responsible for the attacks?"

"According to the _Intrepid_, there are no gamma particles in the vicinity," Jasper said, reading from his tablet. "They may not have sent a cloaked ship."

"Maybe there aren't any cloaked vessels," Norex snorted. "If they're cloaked, then why would we be able to track them?"

"There are vessels," Bella said, her spots glowing an angry red. She was filled with disdain and resentment. "One of them attacked your brother. Attacked the _Volvo_. Just because they aren't there, doesn't mean they don't exist."

"You are so idealistic," Norex snapped. "The cloaked vessels don't exist. I have proof." He got up and handed each of us a small tablet with information claiming that cloaked ships were a figment of our imaginations.

"This means nothing," my father said. "Just supposition, just like the cloaked ships existence. Nothing that is written here can positively confirm or deny that they exist. President M'Tak, I'd like to send the _Volvo_ to assist the _Intrepid_."

"I agree. You are the only ones who have some proof that these cloaked vessels have been invented," President M'Tak replied. Norex growled. "Captain Cullen, take your vessel to the _H'Nan _system."

"I'm going with," Bella said, her fist clenched on the table.

"Empress, your place is here," Caius said, his voice slithery and slimy.

"No, my place is with my mate," Bella sneered.

"_Xytiria_," Norex muttered his breath.

"That's it," I yelled, standing and glaring at my mate's uncle. "She is not a whore."

"Edward, calm down," Dad said.

"He's been spouting treasonous garbage as soon as he walked in here. Yes, I'm human, mated to Empress Nirabelle. And here's my first act as Emperor of Forx. D'Metri, take Norex into custody and throw him into a cell so he can think about what he's said," I yelled.

D'Metri stood up, walking to Norex and taking him roughly by the arm. The Council of Elders made no point to acknowledge Norex and Bella was smiling proudly at me. D'Metri dragged him out and once the door closed did we hear volumes of Cygnarian cuss words, all aimed at me and Bella. "It sounds like Norex will be in that cell for a long time," Captain Picard said dryly.

"He's becoming problematic," Bella said, looking at the Council of Elders. "I do not know what to do with him. Could he be working for the Alphans?"

"Maralice, look into Norex," Counselor Marcusi suggested. "His behavior has become suspect."

"Understood, Counselor Marcusi," Maralice nodded. "Commander Whitlock, would you like to remain on the surface to help me? Perhaps read more research about the cloaked vessel?"

Jasper looked at me, his eyes wide. I nodded, smirking slightly. _Is Maralice coming on to Jasper?_

_I do not know,_ Bella replied. _She is displaying symptoms that indicate that he is her mate. But she's been mated before…_

I shot a look at Counselor Marcusi. He winked, sending me a message onto my tablet. _Their bond is one of a traditional mate. They are destined for each other, Edward. _I slid it to Bella, who beamed.

"Commander, let me arrange some quarters for you and then we'll begin working on finding the dirt on Lord Norex," Maralice said, leading Jasper out of the council chambers.

"Captain Cullen, we need you to go to the _H'Nan_ system soon," President M'Tak said tersely.

"Understood, sir." I stood up, holding my hand for Bella. She took it. _Who will be in charge while we're gone?_

_The Council of Elders,_ Bella replied. "I need to pick up a few things from my suite. Shall we transport in ten minutes?" I nodded.

"Counselors Aro, Caius and Marcusi, please choose four delegates for the Federation Council, three to serve and one alternate," I said. "The Empress and I will be back soon."

"Safe journeys, Emperor," Aro intoned, bowing deeply. I returned the gesture.

Turning on my heel, I walked to my own suite. I ran into D'Metri who informed me that Norex was ensconced in the palace jail. I thanked him and told him to give him three meals a day until we returned from the _H'Nan_ system. No one is to visit him, not his family or his staff. D'Metri nodded, scurrying to inform the palace guards. I went into my former suite, picking up my bag and a few tablets that had been left by Charanel, describing the finer points of _giju'ri. _Stuffing them into my duffel, I walked back to the throne room. Bella, Rosalie and my father were standing on the area rug. "Are you joining us, Admiral?"

"Yes, Captain," my dad replied.

Tapping my communicator, "Cullen to _Volvo_," I barked.

"_Volvo _here," answered the transporter engineer.

"Four to beam up," I said, kissing Bella's hand that had found its way into mine. "Energize."

There was a tingle in my belly and the throne room disappeared, quickly replaced by the sleek transporter room of my ship. "Admiral on deck!" the transporter engineer spat. He stood taller, saluting my father.

"At ease, ensign," Dad chuckled. "My usual quarters?"

I blinked a few times. Bella was the last person who had been in what was usually deemed the Admiral's quarters. Bella snuggled to my side. "Yes, sir. Rosalie, can you escort the Admiral to his accommodations?" Rose nodded, leading my father out of the transporter room. I followed closely behind with Bella's arm laced through mine. "You're staying with me."

"I certainly hope so," she giggled. "I wouldn't want to stay in an airlock."

"Never," I cooed. "You're mine and I'm yours. Where you are, I am."

"Good," she smiled, kissing my cheek. We reached my quarters, which were a little smaller than the rooms she stayed in on her first trip. She placed her bag on the couch, exploring my accommodations. "No bath tub."

"Sorry," I frowned. "With space being a premium, our quarters are equipped with sonic showers only. If you really want a bath, we can go to the holodeck?"

"It's not the same," Bella shrugged. "Though, baths do have their merits." Impishly she smiled, showing me our last bath where we made love after I kissed her sex, tasting her from the inside.

"Nirabelle," I growled. "Behave. I can't walk onto my bridge with a boner."

"A boner?" she asked, her spots glowing in curiosity.

"Never mind," I replied, laughing nervously. "Now, we've got a three day journey to _H'Nan_. We best get a move on. Then, I need to inform my senior staff about what we're doing, our mission. Do you still have your communicator?" Bella nodded, pointing to her belt. "Come with me. I don't want you to be alone."

"You're nervous," she said, twining our hands together.

"Anxious about losing you. Not nervous about doing my job," I said, kissing her sweetly.

"I'm not going anywhere," she soothed, her fingers brushing my hair back. I nodded, chewing on my cheek. She chuckled lightly, kissing my lips, barely brushing them. _All will be fine, Edward. _

"Okay," I sighed. Leading her out of my quarters, we walked to the turbolift. Riding up to the bridge, I was greeted by first shift. Commander Braxas was in command of the ship but she gratefully handed it back to me once I settled on the captain's chair. "Lieutenant Riley, please make sure everyone is on board, save for Commander Whitlock. He will be staying on the surface until we return. Once everyone is back, set course for the _H'Nan _system, maximum jump speed."

"Understood, Captain," he replied as his fingers flew over the control panels. Twenty minutes later, everyone was on board and the engines whirred to life. An hour into the journey, I called for my senior staff to join me in the conference room. Leaving Lieutenant Riley in command, we assembled in the conference room.

"Welcome back, Captain," Lieutenant Morgainne said, waggling his brows. "Congratulations on your nuptials." He smirked at Bella. She just grinned.

"Emmett, we need to focus, but thank you for your congratulations," I snickered, sitting down. My father strode into the conference room, making all of us jump to our feet.

"That's power," he laughed, sitting next to Bella. "At ease. I'm merely an observer. Pretend I'm not here."

"It's a little hard, sir," Commander Braxas said wryly.

"Try, Commander," Dad smirked. He nodded to me and I took over.

"We are en route to the _H'Nan_ system. The _Intrepid_ left for there earlier today due to some issues with the Alphans. Our job is to provide back up and to see if a cloaked vessel is in orbit. Commander Braxas, have you had an opportunity to test your gamma radiation theory?"

"Sending omichron particles will negate gamma radiation, but we still don't know if that's linked to the cloak," Commander Braxas said. "Commander Whitlock did send me some more information, but until we can see the vessel or _not_ see it, I guess, we won't know."

"Do you think that the vessel doesn't exist?" Bella asked, looking at Commander Braxas.

"It exists, Empress. There were four ships following you after we pulled you out of the Alphan capital. When we were fired upon, the fourth ship disappeared, went away but where? The only guess is that it was cloaked," Commander Braxas said. "The technology is out there. The Remans, distant relatives of the Turulians, use it. Perhaps they sold their technology to the Alphans."

"An interesting theory," Dad murmured. "Too bad the Remans are not a part of the Federation. We could contact them regarding the cloak."

"The Turulians must have information," Lieutenant Morgainne piped up.

"I'll contact Commander Laurent," Dad nodded. He got up, padding out of the room.

"How many people are on the _H'Nan_ colony?" Commander Braxas asked.

"Nearly three thousand left Forx. That was twenty years ago. There must be more, with the addition of children," Bella answered.

"What are their defensive capabilities?" I questioned.

"Their ship was dismantled as the heart of the colony. They have some weaponry, but nothing to prevent an attack from orbit. No shielding or long range phasers," Bella cringed. "Alphans must truly be monsters if they attack a defenseless colony. Their scanners must recognize what they have."

"These Alphans have no honor," Rose spat. "Based off what they did to Maralice, they don't care. They are blind, hateful conquerors."

"Their actions and need to conquer remind me of Klaxons," Commander Braxas said, her brow furrowing. "But, we bestow honor onto our warriors. We only fight when provoked and if we kill, we must sacrifice part of ourselves."

"What do you mean?" Bella questioned.

"We drink to the deceased. We have a special elixir, blood wine, which is made from the blood of Klaxon warriors. We all donate for the making of this drink. It's done once a month. However, if there is no blood wine, our sacrifice comes in the form of cutting our tail, which is left with the fallen," Commander Braxas said, nodding slightly. "It is to honor the dead and humble the victor. We would _never_ attack a defenseless camp."

"Therein lies the differences between Klaxons and Alphans," Lieutenant Morgainne growled. "I'm glad you're on our side, Victoria. We'll need some of your bad ass fighting skills to kick these Alphans back to the Stone Age."

"Speaking of bad ass fighting skills, I'd like to continue the Empress's training," Victoria said, looking at Bella. "You showed promise and now that you have a mate, you can kick his ass."

_That sounds like fun_, she giggled mentally. "When do we start?"

"When Captain Cullen is off shift," Victoria smirked. "Hand to hand combat is quite the aphrodisiac."

_Like we need help with that_, I snickered. "Understood, Commander. Now, assignments…"

xx STAR CROSSED xx

We had been traveling to _H'Nan_. We were arriving early tomorrow morning. I was in the holodeck with Victoria, Bella, Emmett, Rose and my father. All of us where helping Bella train for hand to hand combat. That first night, we couldn't pull ourselves away from my quarters. Being separated for a few hours while Bella worked with Rose with a treatment for Charanel had strained our connection and we needed to go at it like bunny rabbits. All intelligent thought left my mind as I slid inside of her, not leaving until exhaustion washed over both of us.

"Okay, Bella," Victoria said, using my mate's nickname. "I'm going to set the holodeck with a random fighter. Show me what you remember."

Bella nodded. Her hair was plaited and pinned in a tight bun at the nape of her neck. It was odd to see her without her chocolate tresses flowing around her face. She wore a skin tight jumpsuit with sneakers. Around her waist, there was two scimitars plus a staff that she held in her right hand. She also had some weapons hidden on her, but we didn't know where. Victoria pressed a button on her tablet and a Turulian woman appeared out of nowhere. Bella dropped into a defensive crouch, holding the staff in front of her. The Turulian pulled a sword from her back, yelling at Bella. In a flurry, they were entrenched in a heated battle. Bella was graceful, moving like a dancer, not a fighter. With a flick of her wrist, four deadly blades flipped out of her staff. With a forceful grunt, Bella jabbed the staff into the Turulian fighter, making her disappear.

Two more fighters appeared in her place, both Klaxon. And male. Klaxon women were small, but deadly. Klaxon men were huge and deadlier. I wanted to go out there and fight them for her. Victoria pressed a hand to my shoulder. "She can do this," Victoria murmured. I clenched my fists, watching as my mate began her cat and mouse game with the holographic Klaxon men.

Her fighting style with the men was different. She made herself small, parrying with the scimitars. She also used throwing knives, keeping her at a distance from the men. Bella pulled another knife from beneath her belt, slinging it directly into the neck of one of her attackers. While he was distracted, Bella jumped on top of the other, decapitating him.

Victoria pressed the button again and Bella's attackers disappeared. She was breathing heavily but smiling. Carefully, she picked up all of the weaponry, putting them into their hiding places. "Those men were tough."

"Safeties were on but they were, for all intents and purposes, Klaxon men. They weren't holding back," Victoria said. "You couldn't have gotten killed, but possibly hurt." I growled at Victoria, who held up her hands defensively. "Rosalie is right here, Captain."

Ti'ane_, I am fine. Come and look_, Bella's mind soothed. I walked over to her, running my hands up and down her arms, inspecting her body. "What's next?" she asked.

"I did some research on Alphan weapons," Victoria said. "They use a particularly deadly weapon, a sword called a _bsh'took_. They also have a dagger called a _dk'took._" She punched a few buttons and both weapons appeared on a pedestal. Victoria picked up the _bsh'took _first. "From what I've read, they hold it like this." She grasped the two handles on the blunt edge. They were wrapped with some sort of cloth. Victoria began thrusting with it, working with the clumsy weapon. "I don't know how they fight with this. It's clunky and awkward. The only thing that is in its favor are all of the pointy edges."

"What about this?" Bella asked, daintily picking up the _dk'took_.

"This is a lot more straightforward. It's a dagger, but when you press this button, these two talons come out, causing further damage to the victim," Victoria said, demonstrating with the blade. "From what I've gathered, the Alphans prefer hand to hand combat, using these brutal weapons."

"Do they use anything else?" Emmett questioned.

"They also have these disruptors. They are similar to your phase but only have one setting," Bella said. "Kill. And it's just as painful. They take nearly a minute for all of the victim to disintegrate. My father wrote of these horrific weapons in his journals. He even brought one home, trying to figure out its weaknesses."

"Do you still have it?" Victoria asked, her eyes wide.

"We destroyed it but the schematics are on the Cygnarian database," Bella replied. "We don't want to fight. You have to understand that."

"We know, Empress," my father said. "Sometimes, against our better judgment, fighting is the only option. Fighting smart is what we're looking to do. The least amount of casualties, the better. Countless millions have been lost during this war. And for what?"

"We don't know," Bella sighed. "For over a thousand years, the Alphans have been our enemy. We only began to travel the stars two centuries ago, but they've been a part of our history for as long as we can remember."

"Do you know when the Alphans started utilizing space travel?" Rose asked.

"No. However, it was the Alphans that made first contact, landing on Forx. We never even knew where the Alphan home world was located," Bella sighed, sitting down on a holographic rock. She plucked out some pins and her braid tumbled over her shoulder. "The story of what happened during first contact is spotty, though. In some versions, the Alphans are peaceful, wanting to create a treaty with us. But something goes horribly wrong and they turn on us, leaving the planet. In other versions, they are an invading army in which the town where they landed was slaughtered. We just don't know the truth. The only thing we do know is that they are relentless, vindictive and cruel."

"I think that we need to find out the truth of what happened all of those years ago," Dad muttered.

"How?" I asked, sitting down next to Bella. She was agitated and nervous, twisting her braid with her fingers. "Are there stories in history books or fairy tales and nightmares?"

"This is a job for your mother. She was an archeologist and she wanted to learn about ancient alien cultures. She's still at Forx. Empress, can my wife and Edward's sister do some research about the beginning of the war between the Cygnarians and the Alphans?"

"Of course, Admiral," Bella nodded. "She can have access to anything within in the Imperial Archives. I will contact Maralice and inform her of your wife's research. Are we done here?"

"For now," Victoria huffed. "There was a lot of _talking_ but not enough _fighting_."

"Edward and I will make up for it tomorrow morning. It will serve as our morning workout," Bella said, her spots glowing a seductive purple.

"Ugh, I didn't need to know that," Victoria laughed.

"Hey, I'm feeling the lusty vibes from these two," Rose snorted. "It's mind-boggling how they manage to not rip each other's clothes off right here, right now."

"And on that note," Dad blustered. "Have good night." He scurried out of the holodeck, his face as red as uniform.

"Emmett, we need to go, too," Rose said, dragging him off. Emmett was grinning like a buffoon, mumbling about getting some serious action.

"You better get that workout in," Victoria said, pointing a finger at us. "And not the horizontal mambo."

"Since when is your commanding officer's sex life fair game?" I asked, raising a brow.

"Um, never, sir," Victoria said, standing tall and her eyes gazing at my boots. "I didn't mean to offend you or the Empress."

_I think they were just feeding off of the joking manner of Rosalie, when she teased you. And yes, we were sending off some serious lusty vibes,_ Bella giggled mentally.

"You didn't offend, but just remember that we have a job to do and it's not teasing me," I chuckled.

"Permission to speak freely?" Victoria breathed. I nodded affirmatively. "You've always been so, um, by the book, Captain. You're an amazing CO and I know that you have the best interests for your crew at heart. It was rare to see you smile. Now? There's a different aura around you."

"Aura?" I asked.

"I may not be able to read and manipulate emotions like Rosalie or share the bond like you have with Bella, but Klaxons can see auras or the goodness in people. Before, you kept everything centered on yourself and this ship. Once Bella came aboard, the aura was reaching out for something but I didn't know what. It's now that I see that it was reaching for you, Empress. There's a warm white light around both of you," Victoria smiled.

"That's not an aura, it's our bond," Bella explained. "You saw our bond."

"It's beautiful. I only hope I find someone like that," Victoria sighed. "I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable, sir. I'll see you in the morning." Before I could respond, she turned on her heel and left.

"She's probably embarrassed," Bella said, leaning her cheek on my shoulder. "If I had to guess, she had feelings for you."

"Braxas? No," I scoffed. "I thought she was gay."

"She was happy?" Bella asked.

"Um, no. Well, yes, happy…I thought she liked women," I replied, my ears flushing.

"My guess is no," Bella said with a wry little grin. "And how can I blame her? You're incredibly handsome." _And sexy. And…_She kissed me. _And mine. _

"Damn right," I growled, crashing my lips against hers, causing us to fall off the holographic rock. I landed on the handle of the _dk'took_. "Owwww!" Bella rolled me over and thankfully the holographic blade didn't impale me, but it did ruin the moment.

"That's going to leave a bruise," she said. "Come, I'll give you a massage." _Among other things_.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

We arrived at the _H'Nan _colony right on time. The _Intrepid_ was still in orbit. Unfortunately, the colony did survive. Over three thousand Cygnarian colonists were dead because of an unprovoked attack by the Alphans.

"I have to go down there," Bella said, her blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I have to see the destruction. I have to pray for the dead."

"What if there are still Alphans still down there?" I asked, my heart stammering.

"There's nothing in orbit," Bella argued. "No gamma things or whatever you think is the link to the cloak. Only the _Intrepid _and the _Volvo_. I have to go. It's my duty as the empress to give these people their peace. I'd rather you be by my side, Emperor, but I'm happy to do it on my own."

"Bella, I'll go with you. I just want to protect you," I said, taking her beautiful face in my hands.

"I know you do," she breathed. "But, I have to be there for my people. _Our _people. They died on this world because of what the Alphans did. I need to do this."

"Okay," I said, crushing her to my chest. We kissed briefly before we walked to the transporter room. It was winter down the planet's surface, despite its desert conditions. The air was just above freezing. I wore my uniform, covered with a sleek parka. Bella was dressed in a pair of pants and a long blue coat. She had on her circlet and carried her staff that Victoria had replicated for her. Standing on the transporter pad, we waited for my father and Victoria. They were going as a part of our away team. There was also another team from the _Intrepid_. They were scanning for survivors and cataloguing what types of weapons were used to destroy the colony. My father and Victoria arrived. Nodding to the transporter engineer, we were beamed down to the surface.

"No," Bella gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

There was nothing left of the colony. Buildings were now crumbling into ruins. The smell of sulfur, death and ash permeated the air. From what I could see, there were several impact craters of bombs that were detonated on the colony. Victoria was using her tricorder, gathering information but she was mumbling to herself. I excused myself from my mate, running to catch up with my security officer. "What is it?"

"This doesn't make sense, Captain. The Alphans thrive on combat, not bombings," she said. "This looks like a blitz attack, seemingly out of nowhere." She also led me to a blinking computer console. "The colonists managed to get some sort of shielding to cover their village. If I'm reading this correctly, the shields went down. Remotely."

"Remotely on the colony or remotely from Forx?" I asked.

"I can't figure that out. But the computers are linked into the Cygnarian database on Forx. It is possible," she said.

"Download what you can," I said sternly. Victoria nodded, placing her tricorder on the computer console and beginning the download. I hailed the _Volvo_ asking for them to send down a holographer. I wanted to inspect these impact craters but not while freezing my ass off. I also asked Lieutenant Riley to make scans from orbit. I walked a few hundred meters, finding Bella in a small building. Based on the bright colors on the walls, it was a school. _Fíorghrá, are you okay?_

"No, I'm not," she said, picking up a stuffed animal. "These were families. Children. Scientists. Farmers. Engineers. What right do they have to do this?" She looked at me, her eyes blazing with anger and her spots a deep red.

"I don't know," I said. "Over five hundred years ago, on Earth, there was an attack in New York City, Washington D.C. and a field in Pennsylvania. It was day that many would never forget. Even now, September 11th, 2001 is infamous in our history books. Several planes, which were like small starships, had been taken control by terrorists. Two of them flew into two tall buildings, the World Trade Center. One flew into a government building, the Pentagon. The last one crashed in a field because the passengers fought back. That day many lives were lost and we didn't know why. The people that worked in those buildings were innocents, not fighting some war. They were just normal people going about their day when it changed."

Bella looked up at me, her eyes brimming with tears. "What happened after the attack?"

"It bonded the nation, United States, in a way that most people never thought possible. They fought back against the terrorists and after several years, they won." I crossed to her and took her hand in mine. "I want to make them pay for what they did here, Bella. This is a coward's way of fighting. Attacking innocent civilians and children? We need to be like that flight that brought down the plane in Pennsylvania."

"How?" she asked. "I do not want to cause this. I don't want children to not know of their mothers. I don't want to tear families apart. I want a diplomatic solution. No more fighting." Her face scrunched up and she lost it, sobbing against my chest. I held her closely, rocking her in the destruction. I was angry and very confused. Blazing rage also simmered in my veins. I didn't know how to handle it.

"Captain, I think I found out how the shielding went down. Where the order was sent from," Victoria said, looking at me. Her eyes were wary.

"Where, Commander?"

"The Imperial Palace."

**A/N: Ooooh, cliffie. Who do you think sent the order to drop the ****_H'Nan _****shields? **

**Now, there are some pictures with this update. They are on my ****_Star Crossed_**** blog and my regular blog and tumblr. Links for all of these are on my profile. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation or on twitter: tufano79. **

**Up next will be some answers to the obvious questions, some bonding time with Charanel (I love him!) and perhaps some citrusy action. It will also be in Edward's POV since you got two Bella POVs with the mating ceremony. **

**Leave me some! **

_El-lak D'nus ~ Cygnarian sex mania, experienced by women four times a year when they can get pregnant_

_Bsh'took ~ Alphan triple edged sword, similar to a Klingon bat'leth. _

_Dk'took ~ Alphan dagger, similar to dk'tahg_


	7. Chapter 7

**So, something completely different…I'm struggling with writer's block and I'm hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group's walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I've always been interested in **_**Star Trek**_** and science fiction. Even before **_**Twilight,**_** it caught my attention. I even wrote some **_**Star Trek: Deep Space Nine**_** fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn't really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I'm not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own **_**Star Trek, **_**which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Up next will be some answers to the obvious questions, some bonding time with Charanel (I love him!) and perhaps some citrusy action. It will also be in Edward's POV since you got two Bella POVs with the mating ceremony. **

**Chapter Seven**

**EPOV**

"_I want to make them pay for what they did here, Bella. This is a coward's way of fighting. Attacking innocent civilians and children? We need to be like that flight that brought down the plane in Pennsylvania."_

"_How?" she asked. "I do not want to cause this. I don't want children to not know of their mothers. I don't want to tear families apart. I want a diplomatic solution. No more fighting." Her face scrunched up and she lost it, sobbing against my chest. I held her closely, rocking her in the destruction. I was angry and very confused. Blazing rage also simmered in my veins. I didn't know how to handle it. _

"_Captain, I think I found out how the shielding went down. Where the order was sent from," Victoria said, looking at me. Her eyes were wary. _

"_Where, Commander?" _

"_The Imperial Palace."_

"That can't be possible," Bella said, her eyes narrowing. "Why would the palace remotely disable the shielding around the colony? That makes absolutely no sense."

"Perhaps someone was pissed off that you were mated to a human," Commander Braxas answered. "One of Norex's staff? Or Caius. He's shady, too. His aura reveals that he's hiding something. I don't know what, but it's not good."

"Why would they conspire with the Alphans?" Bella growled, her hands balling into rigid fists. _I don't get it. I just don't. _She huffed and walked out of the school, clutching the stuffed animal. I could feel her agony, frustration and confusion. I wanted to make this right, fix it but there was no easy fix.

"Was there anything else on that computer console?" I asked Victoria.

"I got it all, including some vids of the attack. It appeared to be a combination of an attack from orbit and some shuttles using their disruptors," Victoria explained. "I'll upload it onto the computer once we get back aboard the _Volvo_."

"Thank you, Commander," I sighed, leaving the school. I stumbled along the ruins, my heart shattering for the pain these people endured during their last moments alive. Several away teams came down, gathering more information and holo-images for their holodeck to peruse on board. I knew that I was going to picking apart the attack and the ruins, trying to find some sort of weakness of the Alphans or answers to give to the Council of Elders.

We were on the surface for two hours. My father came down, shocked at the damage. When we gathered as much information as we could, the away teams transported back up to their vessels. I went in search of my mate, finding her in the rubble of what looked to be a sanctuary or chapel. She was sitting on a crumbling wall, crying as she caressed the singed fur of the stuffed toy. "We're the last ones on the surface, Bella," I said. "We need to transport back to the _Volvo_ so we can go back to Forx."

"We need to perform last rites," she whispered. "My people…_our_ people need to be ushered into the afterlife." Her sadness is crippling. She buried her nose in the stuffed toy's fur, crying quietly. "We need to perform _H'aaruune_."

"What's that?" I asked.

"The funeral rite. It releases our souls into the stars," she said. "It should have been done on the day they all died, but I'd like to do it before sunset on _H'nan_." Her blue eyes were dull and her spots were a sickly gray. Her mind was beseeching me, begging me to do this.

"What does this funeral rite entail?" I asked.

"For each life lost, we light a sky lantern and release it. If both ships have as many as they can transport down, it won't take long. The colonists deserve this respect," Bella said, overlooking the ruins. I checked the sun, verifying the timeline with my tricorder and the _H'aaruune_ rite would need to be done within the next few hours.

"Let's go back up to the _Volvo_ and begin replicating the sky lanterns," I smiled, cupping her chilled face. "I'll contact the captain of the _Intrepid _to make arrangements." Bella sighed, throwing her arms around me. Her mind was thanking me, over and over again as she buried her nose into my neck. I held her flush to my body, pleased that I was able to give her solace during this time of tragedy. Breaking a part, I kissed her lips gently before tapping my communicator. "Cullen to _Volvo_."

"_Volvo _here," replied Lt. Riley.

"Two to beam up."

"Energizing, sir," Lt. Riley chirped and the desolate rubble disappeared. We were back on the _Volvo, _in the transporter room_. _I told Bella to go to sick bay, getting Rose to help replicate the sky lanterns. She frowned, upset at having to part with me, but I needed to make arrangements with the _Intrepid_ captain for the _H'aaruune_ rite. It would be difficult since the man in command was actually a very sophisticated and advanced android. He had been under Captain Picard's command until recently when he, Captain Data, received his own field command and ship in the _Intrepid_. He didn't have emotions and would probably not understand the need to perform this rite.

There was a great deal of controversy regarding Data's promotion. A lot of Galaxy Fleet's admirals didn't think that Data was 'alive' and that he was the property of the Federation. He had, however, been awarded many honors in science, diplomacy and valor. He was a decorated officer and his near 'death' experience on the _Enterprise_, saving the lives of the families and crew on board from an attack from the Remans is what got him the promotion for Captain. We actually were promoted at the same time: the first android captain and the youngest captain in Galaxy Fleet. It was the talk of the Federation for a long time.

Walking onto the bridge, Lt. Riley asked, "Do you want to set course to Forx, sir?"

"Not yet. Please hail Captain Data and send it to my ready room," I commanded, removing my coat and striding to my office. I barked at the replicator, asking for a large mug of steaming coffee. The air on the planet's surface was biting, chilling me to the bones. I needed to warm up. Snuggling with my mate was not option, so I settled for the next best thing.

Coffee.

Admiral Janeway would be proud.

She was addicted to her coffee and that addiction was passed on to me during her class at the Academy on long distance voyages, utilizing resources indigenous to the locale and trade negotiations with species not admitted in the Federation. She was a veteran at that. Her ship, _Voyager_, the sister ship to mine, was hurtled light years in a blink of an eye into the Delta Quadrant. She and her crew spent almost seven years, working negotiating trade deals and learning new technology to get home. Using a new means of travel, quantum slip stream, they got home in a fraction of the seventy years it would have taken them. The technology that she had harnessed was dissected and we were trying to get it installed in other ships, but each test flight of the slim stream technology ended in disaster. The materials needed to make the drive were simply not in the Alpha Quadrant where we were located. Until we found the crystals that Janeway used in her drive, it would just be a theory, used by _Voyager_ alone.

"Cheers, Admiral," I said, sipping my coffee as I settled into my seat. Pressing a few buttons, Captain Data's face was on the view screen of my computer terminal. "Greetings, Captain."

"Captain Cullen," he said, nodding slightly. "Are you ready to go back to Forx? We have a lot of intel to decipher and deliver to the Cygnarian government."

"Not quite, Data," I said, wrinkling my nose. "The empress is adamant that we do this _H'aaruune _funeral rite. We need your help."

"Mine or my crew?" Data asked.

"Both. The funeral rite revolves around sky lanterns, releasing the soul of the fallen into the stars," I said. "Empress Nirabelle would like to do this ceremony by sun down. It will take less time if we have you and your crew's help. We need to release a lantern for each of the dead."

"I fail to the logic in doing that," Data responded, his face impassive.

"There is no logic. It's comfort for the Cygnarians," I explained.

"Why? They're dead."

"What about their families on Forx? They need that comfort, knowing that their loved ones have been given the proper burial," I said. "It's a part of their culture, Captain. These people died on a planet, light years away from their home planet by a vicious, unprovoked attack. Let's give them their peace."

"Understood. How many of my crew do you need?" he asked.

"As many as you can spare. Keep a skeleton crew on the ship and transport down at 1700," I said. "Thank you, Captain. Cullen out." I ended the transmission, sending word to Captain Picard and Counselor Marcusi that we would be flying back to Forx in a few hours. I checked on Rose and Bella with the replication of the sky lanterns. Things were going as planned, transporting the necessary materials down to the surface.

Shortly before transporting down, I changed into my dress uniform and put on my circlet of the Emperor. Bella was in our quarters, dressed in a long white gown with blue belt around her slender waist. She was murmuring in Cygnarian, clutching the toy in her hands. "Are you ready, Bella?" I asked.

"Yes," she said sadly, looking up at me. "Thank you for indulging me. _H'aaruune_ is important in our culture. If we do not perform it, our souls are lost, caught in limbo with no true happiness. It may be a fairy tale, but I need to do this for these people." Her eyes glimmered and her spots glowed a warm blue as she appraised me. She licked her lips, showing me how we could calm each other once we got back to the ship. I growled, kissing her lips before mentally chastising her to behave. I also promised that later I would make her erotic mental fantasies come true.

Everyone that volunteered to be a part of the ceremony was transported down to the surface. It took ten minutes to get everyone down to the ravine where Bella chose to do the ceremony. It was easily three times the size of the Grand Canyon, but quiet and serene, close to the colony. Assembling close the ridge, we all lit the sky lanterns. There were four hundred of us on the surface. With the still looming threat of the Alphans and Jakob, we didn't want to leave our ships vulnerable. Originally, I had suggested a skeleton crew, but Data said that we needed to leave more on the ships. My emotional ties to my mate were clouding my judgment. I agreed because it was true. My need to protect and cater to her overwhelmed my sense of duty.

Bella stood on a small outcropping of rocks. Her back was to the Galaxy Fleet personnel. I had sent over what to expect to both crews after Bella told me. I stood next to her as she said the _H'aaruune Ne'irite_, or funeral prayer for the colonists. Bowing her head, she spoke quietly in Cygnarian before releasing the largest sky lantern. It floated away. Bella cupped her hands to her head and falling to her knees. I let go of my own sky lantern, mimicking her actions. Soon, nearly a thousand sky lanterns were floating in the canyon, dipping and bobbing as the wind carried them.

My communicator chirped, as did Captain Data's. Tapping my chest, I hissed at Commander Braxas who was in command of the _Volvo. _"What?"

"Sir, you need to get out of there. There was a spike of gamma radiation and it's closing on the planet fast," she prattled.

I looked at Data. His face showed no emotion but he understood the urgency. He spoke quietly, informing his crew on board the _Intrepid _to beam everyone to the cargo bay, using the industrial transporters. "Braxas, begin transporting our crew to the cargo bays. We need to get everyone on board and raise shields."

"Understood, sir," she said. The transmission cut out and the hum of transporters filled my ears as the crew of the _Intrepid _and the _Volvo _began disappearing.

"Bella, we need to go," I said, standing up and trying to get her to move.

"No, not yet," she sniffled.

"Empress, our sensors indicated a spike in gamma radiation," Data said. "There may be another Alphan attack. You need to get back aboard the _Volvo_." As Data was speaking, there was a bright light streaking towards us. My eyes widened. It was another bomb. Bella stumbled off her rock and into Data's arms.

"Get her off the surface!" I snarled. Data nodded and they transported immediately. Bella was screaming. I slapped my communicator asking for an emergency beam out. As my belly tingled, I felt the heat of the bomb before it impacted where I was standing. I was beamed onto the bridge. The lights were dim and the red alert was blaring. "Report!"

"One Alphan battle cruiser," Victoria said as she darted back to tactical. "It was cloaked. There was a surge of gamma radiation just before it came into view, sir. Once it was solid, it started firing on the surface with photon torpedoes, bombs and firing their disruptors at both the _Intrepid _and us."

"Damage?" I asked. "Did everyone get off the surface?"

"Affirmative. You were the last one, sir," Lieutenant Riley explained.

"And damage?" I reiterated.

"Mainly to crew quarters, specifically the Admiral's quarters and yours," Victoria replied.

I glared at the Alphan vessel. The _Intrepid_ had opened fire. "Commander Braxas, fire at will. Focus on their engines. Shoot to disable, not destroy."

"Understood," Victoria said. Her hands flew over their console, aiming our phasers and torpedoes at the large Alphan cruiser.

"Lieutenant Riley, break orbit and try to get behind the Alphan vessel," I said, sitting down on the captain's chair. We moved agilely, firing at the Alphan battle cruiser. They were firing wildly, hitting our now intact shielding. There was no rhyme or reason to the attack, just random bursts of phasers. Victoria found a weakness in their shield, focusing our fire there. With both the phasers from the _Intrepid_ and from us, one of the necelles of the battle cruiser was blown off and the ship rocked violently. Their attack ceased. "Hold your fire. Report."

It was near silent on the bridge. The only sounds that I heard were the computer generated beeps and the clicking of the red alert lights along the bridge. "This doesn't make any sense," Victoria whispered.

"What?" I asked.

"I don't register any life signs on the ship," she said, looking up at me.

"It was sent without a crew?" I questioned, arching a brow.

"Captain, we're being hailed by Captain Data," Lieutenant Riley said.

"On screen," I replied. "Captain, is everyone alright?"

"Yes, Captain Cullen. All of my crew made it safely back on board. The Empress, though, needed to be sedated. She was hysterical at being separated from you," Data said. "She's in our medical bay being tended to by our chief medical officer."

I pushed back my emotions. "Thank you, Captain. Can she be safely transported?" I asked.

"Yes. She's not injured, just sedated," Data explained.

"Have her transported to our medical bay, please?" Data nodded. "Now, have you scanned the ship?"

"We have. There are no life signs aboard. I do not understand that," Data said, his brow furrowing. "Would you like to investigate?"

"If anything, I want to see this cloaking technology," I said. "See how it works, get schematics. Something to help combat it besides a theory involving gamma particles. Shall I meet you over there?"

"We will send an away team and transport the Empress to your sick bay. End transmission," Data said succinctly.

"Victoria, please take Emmett over to the Alphan ship," I ordered. "Assemble an away team."

"Are you coming, sir?" she asked.

"I will be over after I change out of my dress uniform," I said. Victoria nodded, darting off the bridge. I went into my ready room, quickly changing into my standard uniform and picking up a tricorder and phaser. Leaving Lieutenant Riley in command, I went down to sick bay. Bella was resting in the surgical bay. Her face was distressed and her thoughts were disjointed and filled with worry. Taking her hand, I soothed her, telling her that I loved her. Her expression smoothed out and she sighed. Kissing her forehead, I left sick bay, beaming over to the Alphan ship, directly on the bridge.

The first thing I noticed was the smell. The scent on the bridge was musky and sweaty. It reminded me of the locker room at the academy, but more pungent and disgusting. The second thing I noticed were the crew. They were all dead. It appeared like they had recently committed suicide. Along their necks, there were jagged wounds from the _dk'tooks_. I contacted Rose, asking her to beam one of the bodies over to the science lab so we could learn more about the Alphan physiology. She could perform an autopsy. The body closest to me was transported off the bridge and I continued my exploration with Captain Data and his away team.

I set up my tricorder to download the information from the computer. As I was waiting for the download to the complete, my communicator chirped, "Morgainne to Cullen."

"This is Captain Cullen," I replied.

"Sir, we think we found the cloaking device," Emmett said. "We'd like you to come take a look at it."

"Where are you located?" I asked.

"Just above the engineering deck," he replied.

"On my way," I said, leaving the bridge. Captain Data walked with me. "What do you think, Captain?"

"I think this is a trap," he replied, his eyes darting around the narrow and cluttered hallway. "Why would they commit suicide and allow us to board their vessel? It does not make sense, unless it's to lure us into a false sense of security and destroy us…"

I nodded, agreeing with his statement. "Let's proceed with caution," I whispered.

"Agreed," Data said as we found Emmett and Victoria, along with Data's tactical officer, Commander Felix Volturi. "Report."

"From what we could gather," Emmett began, "it's heavily shielded. It does not look like it's Alphan technology, though. I can't identify it. Neither can Commander Volturi or Commander Braxas."

"Have you attempted to disable the shields?" Data asked.

"I advised against it, sir. This technology is experimental for the Alphans and based on the amount of dead bodies on this ship, this may be a booby trap," Commander Volturi explained. "I'm afraid that if we attempt to disengage the shields, we'll cause the auto destruct to begin we're all stuck here, joining the Alphans in their final resting place."

"I could try and disable the shields around the cloaking device," Data said. "I've tapped into their computer systems. The shields for the cloak are heavily encrypted but not indecipherable."

"Let's get everyone off this ship. Only you and me, Captain," I said. "We could work together and get this shield down faster."

"Sir, no," Victoria said, her brows furrowing. "You're no longer just a Galaxy Fleet captain, you're also a husband and the Emperor of Forx. You should go back. I'll stay with Captain Data."

"Agreed," Data said, looking at me. He tapped his communicator. "All crew members aboard the Alphan vessel, please transport back to your respective ships and raise shields."

"This doesn't feel right," I growled, my frustration mounting.

"Go, Edward," Data said quietly, putting his hand on my shoulder. "Your commander is correct."

"I want to know," I said. "Yes, I'm being stubborn. We will maintain an open comm link to the _Volvo_ and beam out at the first sign of trouble."

"The first sign may be the last sign," Data countered. I gave him a stern look and he sighed. "Commander Volturi and Lieutenant Morgainne, please go back to your ships." They contacted the _Intrepid_ and _Volvo, _respectively and beamed out of the cloaking room. Data walked to the computer access panel. He tapped a few controls. The screen lit up. He began working quickly, his fingers flying over the screen. Victoria had asked the _Volvo_ to move to a safe distance, but remove shields in case we needed to do an emergency beam out. I logged every moment with my tricorder and downloaded the specifications for the shields and cloaking device.

Data worked on the computer terminal for five minutes, the shield not dropping. However, he keyed a sequence of codes and the room filled with a thick fog. Victoria and I began coughing, our lungs burning. I could barely understand what Data was screaming at me as my vision clouded and I wavered on my feet. Stumbling, my cheek came in contact with the wall before I fell onto the floor. My eyes drifted shut as I felt the tingle of the transporter in my body.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

_Please, _ti'ane_, come back to me. I need to hear your voice, see your smile, kiss your lips…I can't lose you. Not yet. I just found you. Edward, I don't leave me. I've already lost my mother and my father, I cannot lose my soul mate. _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari. _Please…please…_

I could hear Bella. I could feel her anguish but my mind felt like it was trudging through mud and muck. As much as I wanted to, I could not open my eyes. I felt like there was an elephant sitting on my chest and I was aching everywhere. Every inch of my body was sore and my skin felt like it was on fire.

"Empress, you've been here for the past two days. You need to get some rest," Rosalie chided. "Go back to your quarters and get some sleep."

"No. I'm staying," Bella said, her voice sounding impossibly sad and rough. "He is my mate. It is my responsibility to care for him." Her hand ran through my hair and I felt her lips on my temple. "He will wake soon. He is aware of our conversation and very frustrated that he can't open his eyes."

"He wouldn't be in this predicament if he had listened to Captain Data," Rose grumbled. "He had no business staying on that ship. He could have gotten killed. That gas is lethal. He was very lucky. It could have been a lot worse."

"I've seen that gas in action, Rosalie," Bella said sternly. "It's burned the skin off many a Cygnarian."

_Burns? I'm scarred? Bella, please tell me what happened?_ I begged mentally, trying to move but it was fruitless.

_You have some minor scarring on your neck and hands, but you are fine,_ Bella answered, her nose running along my cheek. _Victoria was not as fortunate. The _em'tuuk_ gas reacted poorly with her Klaxon skin. She is currently in stasis while Rose is working on a treatment_. _If it's possible…_

_I need to wake up…Bella, can Rose inject me with something to help? _I pleaded.

"No, _ti'ane_," Bella said out loud. "Your body is healing and you need to stay as still as possible."

"Damn, I can feel his anger and frustration. It's radiating off him in waves," Rose said, her voice moving closer to me. "Suck it up, Captain. You are in here until we arrive at Forx. Another day and then you can wake up fully."

_Fuck you, Rose, _I snapped.

"He's not pleased," Bella snickered, her voice still sounding tired.

"I know. If he were able, he'd probably be giving me the finger," Rose said, her smirk evident.

"Why would he give you a finger?" Bella asked, confusion coloring her tone.

"Not literally. There is a human gesture that is quite inappropriate, displayed by raising your middle finger. It means fuck you," Rose explained. I heard shuffling and something at my neck. "You need to relax, Edward. Let your body heal."

I couldn't even respond as I drifted back into dreamland, Bella's mental voice coaxing me to rest and showering me with her love. When I did come to, I was still in sick bay. Bella was standing next to me. Her face was incredibly pale and her spots were almost blue. I couldn't move, but just seeing her made my heart lurch. "Edward, look at me," came the forceful, but gentle voice of Rose. I blinked, my eyes focusing on my ex-wife. She shined a light into my eyes and I groaned, clamping my lids shut. I heard the pen light click off and I opened my eyes again. The restraint I felt on my body was lifted. "Try and sit up, Edward. Slowly."

Moving like I was underwater, I sat up. My body was screaming. Bella was by my side, holding my hand and helping my aching muscles to function. It took way too much effort to sit up. I was drenched in sweat and panting heavily. "Report," I croaked, my voice sounding like I had swallowed gravel.

"You'll get your report after I finish giving you your damn examination, Captain," Rose barked. She used her medical tricorder, taking scans of my body. "Do you think you can walk?"

"No. I don't think so. Sitting up…it took all of my energy," I said, wanting to fall back onto the medical gurney.

"How is your vision?" Rose asked.

"Blurry, but I can see," I replied. "Are all of these symptoms permanent?"

"No. You were only exposed for less than a minute," Rose said. "Anything longer and we would have lost you."

"What about Victoria?" I wheezed. "Is she still in stasis?" Rose didn't respond and she turned away quickly. Bella's mind was silent but I could feel her sadness. "Answer me, damn it!"

"While you were under sedation, the medical officer from the _Intrepid_ beamed over and we worked on Commander Braxas, trying to see why this gas was reacting with her physiology so violently. Sir, I'm sorry, but Victoria died," Rosalie whispered, her golden eyes reaching mine and tears spilling over onto her cheeks.

"How?" I asked, my head splitting and my heart breaking.

"She had full thickness chemical burns over eighty percent of her body. Her lungs were black from the gas and her brain was liquefied," Rose muttered. "Even Captain Data was affected. His epidermal plating was burned like your skin. He's regenerating more to fix the damage, but the gas was highly acidic and ate through organic tissues easily."

"Have you notified Victoria's family?" I choked out.

"She has no family. We were all she had," Rosalie replied. "I have a communiqué into Galaxy Fleet Headquarters about her next of kin, but they haven't replied. Victoria was standing right in front of the vent that released the gas. You were the furthest away and got the least exposure."

"What is his prognosis?" Bella asked, gently guiding me back to lay down.

"He will be fine. It will take a week or two to get the residual gas effects out of your system. Your muscles will be stiff and sore, you will experience dizziness, fatigue, nausea and headaches, and your vision will be blurry. I've concocted an analgesic to help with the muscle pain. It's strong and I know how you feel about medications while you're on duty. However, seeing as you are in extreme pain, I'm keeping you off duty for at least a week."

"Rose, no," I argued, trying to get up.

"Edward, you were just sedated for nearly three days. I almost lost you," Bella said. I looked at her and I saw how this impacted her. She was thinner and her normally luminescent skin was dull and lifeless. She looked as sick as I felt. _I may not have been on that forsaken vessel, but I felt everything you experienced, Edward. Even know, I can feel how much pain you are in. You need to rest. We are a few hours from Forx. Commander Whitlock can take control of the ship while you heal. While _we_ heal. _

"Our connection," I frowned.

"I can only imagine what Marcusi would see," Bella growled, her spots glowing in anger. She huffed out a breath, pinching her nose.

"Bella, go back to you quarters and take some time for yourself," Rose admonished.

"I need to stay with Edward," she almost whined.

"He's awake and fine. You need to go take a sonic shower and prepare to transport to the surface," Rose explained. "Besides, I need to speak to Edward regarding some ship business."

"Will you be alright?" Bella asked, her posture slumping.

"I'll be fine, Bella. I promise," I said, reaching up to touch her face. Every inch I moved, my body yelled in pain. I kept my face impassive as I caressed her sallow cheek. She whimpered as she leaned down, kissing my lips softly. She pressed her forehead to mine, whispering that she loved me before leaving sick bay. Once the doors slide shut, I bit my lip in pain. "I'm dying, Rose."

"I can only imagine," she said, scanning me again. "The muscle damage is…I'm surprised that you are able to carry on a conversation. Then again, you are a stubborn, pain in the ass. On a scale from one to ten, one being stubbing your toe to ten excruciating, blinding pain, how do you feel?"

"Twenty," I answered flatly. "But, I have to push through it, Rose. We need to perform the funeral for Victoria. We need the information about the damned cloaking device. We need to stop those fucking Alphan monsters. They are becoming more and more cruel. First attacking the colony, then attacking us as we have the funeral ceremony for the colonists and finally this gas?" I panted. I couldn't catch my breath. "What happened after we were beamed aboard? Did we get the specs on the cloaking device?"

"No," Rose replied.

"WHAT?" I screamed, shooting up from the hospital bed.

"Calm down or I'm going to sedate you again," she yelled, pushing me back on my bed. "Captain Data managed to get the cloaking device off the Alphan ship before it self-destructed. It's sitting in the cargo hold of the _Intrepid_. We are going to examine it once we get back to Forx with Jasper, Felix and Captain Picard's tactical officer, Commander A'Lec. The one thing that they can determine is that it's obviously not Alphan. Captain Data thinks that it's Reman."

"Are the Alphans allied with the Remans?" I asked.

"I don't know. I don't think so. There will be a briefing once we reach orbit of Forx," Rose answered.

"I need to be there. Your medical decision be damned," I said. "This has gone on long enough. It needs to stop." I fell back, my heart stammering against my ribs. "Can I have some that analgesic?"

"It's experimental. I don't know if it will work or what the side effects are, Edward. Based on my scans, it should dull your pain but not stop it completely." She picked up a hypospray. Pressing it to my neck, I felt the numbing feeling of the medication. Rose looked at my read outs on the screen. "Your heart rate is slowing and your blood pressure is normalizing. How's the pain?"

I lifted my hand. I saw my hand and was able to move it, but I couldn't feel it. "Um, numb?" I wriggled my fingers and it was surreal.

"It's probably too strong," Rose said. "The titration needs to be adjusted. I'll check on you in a little bit." She pushed me gently onto the bed and scurried back into her office.

I closed my eyes, exhausted from the brief conversation I had with Rose and my mate. I must have drifted off because Bella was back, looking a little better, but still drawn and pale. Her fingers were combing my hair. She gazed down at me, smiling softly. "We're here, home."

I nodded, taking her hand and kissing her palm. "I can't wait to get out of sick bay."

"Don't you love me?" Rose quipped, packing a bag.

"I do, Rose, but these beds are like laying on jagged rocks," I deadpanned.

"Everything will feel like that until the gas works its way through your system," Rose explained. "Probably another two weeks or so, you should start to feel normal." Rose helped me sit up and I groaned, the analgesic having worn off. "We do need to get you into a sonic shower and dressed. Do you want help?"

"I can do it," Bella said, her growl barely contained. Rose held her hands up in surrender, pointing in the direction of the shower in sick bay. My mate's emotions were all over the place. She was upset at Rose's need to help me, pissed off at the Alphans and their BS, missing me something fierce and was mentally and physically exhausted. Her royal veneer was missing. Bella helped me to my feet but I was as weak as a newborn foal. I was grateful for Bella's Cygnarian strength. I would have never made it to the sonic shower without her practically carrying me. Bella helped me out of the hospital gown and placed me on the bench in the shower. I was drenched from the exertion. She slipped out of the stall, pressing the button to start the shower. As soon as the sound waves begin, I scream in pure agony. The sonic shower is rattling my bones. Bella stopped it, falling at my feet. "What it is, _ti'ane_?"

"The sound…" I gritted out.

She pursed her lips. "I will be right back." She kissed my damp hair, darting out of the shower room. I moaned quietly until I felt the familiar tingle of the transporter. My eyes widened. I was being transported and I was buck ass naked, sweating like a stuck pig. When the transport finished, I was in what looked like Bella's bathroom on the surface. I was in the water, which was tepid and felt amazing against my burning skin. The door from the holodeck appeared and Bella walked in, her face fierce with determination. She dropped a pile of clothes onto the sink and pinned up her hair, removing her own clothing. Despite my pain and illness, I was still turned on by my mate. "Computer, lock holodeck doors." The computer beeped and Bella stepped into the water, wading toward me. "Is this better, _ti'ane?_"

"Much better, Bella," I said. "The water feels good against my skin." I lifted my hand, seeing the subtle scars on my forearms and hands. Bella took my hand, threading her fingers with mine. I didn't want that. I wanted her. With great effort, I slid my arm around her waist and guided her in front of me. She caught my drift and wrapped her arms around my neck, loosely latching her legs around my hips. My arms wrapped around her slender waist, burying my nose into the crook of her neck. She was trembling, tears falling onto my shoulder as she clung to me. _ I need you, Bella_.

"I know," she sobbed, moving ever closer to me. _I feel awful for needing you this badly. You're hurt. In pain and all I can think of is bonding with you._

I grasped my arousal, staring into her eyes. Using the buoyancy of the water, I slid her down my length and for the first time since I woke up, I felt whole. Her hands tangled into my hair and she greedily kissed me. I was still in enormous amounts of pain but I didn't care. I was with my mate, my life, my _Fíorghrá. _If even for a few moments, I needed to lose myself in her.

Our coupling was languorous. Bella rolled her hips over mine, doing all of the work. I just kissed her feverishly, mentally repeating that I loved her, needed her. With a deep, guttural moan, I came inside of my _Fíorghrá._ My body was boneless as I panted against her fragrant skin. "Better?" she asked, her own voice breathy.

"Yeah," I chuckled shamefully. "I just couldn't…I had to be close to you."

"It's our mating bond. Our bodies recognize when we need to reconnect. That was only a bandage, though," she murmured, her cheeks reddening. "I know that you are weak. There will be time to heal our bond." _Now, let me take care of you, Edward. It's my job as your mate to provide for you when you are sick or hurt. _She helped wash me and massaged my aching muscles with her strong fingers. Once finished, she sat me on the bench and toweled me off, helping me into one of my uniforms. "Computer, end program," Bella commanded and the holodeck program of her bathroom disappeared. I was seated on a ledge, wishing I could feel normal. "Can you walk?"

"I need to eat, but the idea of food is unsettling," I grumbled.

"Let me get you a cup of _tala root_ tea," she said, darting to the replicator. "It's good for an upset stomach." She placed the cup in my hands, encouraging me to sip it. I finished half of it when I felt strong enough to at least appear like I was fine. I had to survey the damage of my ship, begin the process of Victoria's burial and look at the damn cloaking device. I couldn't afford to take time off. I was needed more than ever.

Walking out of the holodeck, Bella and I went to our quarters. Whatever damage that was caused had been repaired. I could smell the new carpeting. I could see, in the distance, the blue-green orb of Forx getting closer. A sense of contentment washed over me and I felt like I was coming home. Bella wrapped her arm around my waist, nuzzling my chest and the same contentment washed over her, too.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

Arriving in the Imperial Palace, I was checked out by Kunnan. He gave me a different medication to counteract the _em'tuuk_ gas. He had first-hand knowledge of how to treat it. I could still feel my extremities but the pain was significantly absent, just suppressed by neural block. I was able to attend to the matters that needed my attention, such as the cloaking device, repairs to my vessel and most importantly, planning Victoria's funeral service. I tired quickly, needing to take frequent breaks but I was not relieved of duty.

Shortly after we arrived at Forx, the _Excelsior_ took President M'Tak back to Earth. The _Intrepid, _the _Enterprise_ and my ship, the _Volvo_ were to stay in the Cygnarian system until further notice to protect them from any Alphan attack. My family decided to stay on the planet, trying to solve the puzzle of why the Alphans were attacking the Cygnarians or if the Cygnarians attacked first. My sister was an anthropologist, on sabbatical from her teaching position at Oxford. My mom was an archeologist, recently retired from Galaxy Fleet. Their minds were perfect for solving this unsolvable mystery. My family was staying in a home on the grounds of the palace. Maralice made all of the arrangements while we were on our mission to _H'nan_.

A couple of days had passed. Working with Galaxy Fleet Headquarters, it was determined that Victoria didn't have any next of kin. She was an orphan from Klaxa, both of her parents dying in an industrial fire and no family to speak of. In fact, in her intake papers, she listed her roommate from the Academy as her emergency contact. Lieutenant Lauren Mallory was on board the _Intrepid_ as one of their numerous science officers. She knew about her roommate and was coordinating with Rose for Victoria's funeral service. While I was working on that, my envoy, D'Metri was working with my new tactical officer, Lieutenant Commander Garrett Anderson, on deciphering the intel from the _H'nan _surface and determining where the order to disengage the shields originated from.

As I was working in my newly decorated office in the palace, there was a knock on the door. "Come in," I said.

Jasper walked into the office. He looked almost jovial when he sat down across from me. He appeared to have gotten close with Maralice, though she still kept him at arm's distance. He seemed smitten with her. Jasper smile crookedly from his seat as he asked, "Have you spoken to Norex since you've gotten back?"

"Nope," I replied, trying to make heads or tails of the damn cloaking schematics. Victoria's funeral service was taking place tomorrow and nothing more could be done until then. I pushed the schematics off to the side. "Why?"

"I think he's involved," Jasper replied. "He had to have been."

"He's been locked up since we left," I said, grimacing as I shifted in my seat. I was due for another injection of the miracle cure from Kunnan. "Hasn't he?"

"He's been in a windowless cell with an Imperial guard watching him like a hawk. No visitors, but I think he's linked to all of this. Can I interrogate him?" Jasper wheedled. I arched a brow. "I won't be too brutal." Jasper had a tendency to get answers when it was deemed impossible. His questioning technique was quite barbaric.

"I agree that he may be involved. Regardless, he's still a noble in the Cygnarian culture, the brother of the former emperor. He's been spouting treasonous bullshit about Bella's relationship with me, but he can't be interrogated like a common thug, Jasper," I replied. "Wait until after the service for Victoria. I want to be there and I'm not at my best right now." The medication was quickly wearing off and my body felt like it was being licked by plasma fire.

"That shit is kicking your ass, Edward," Jasper said, his eyes filled with concern.

"You read the report, right?" I asked. He nodded. "It's lethal and I'm lucky that I didn't end up like Victoria, burnt to a crisp with liquid for brains." I shifted on my seat, trying to hide my obvious pain. "I want to be there. Give me a couple of days and then we can interrogate Norex."

"Okay, fine," Jasper agreed reluctantly.

"Also, I want you to check into Aro and Caius," I said. "Victoria mentioned something to me about Caius's aura or something."

"I'm going to err on the side of caution and look at all of the Council of Elders," Jasper said, adding something to his tablet. "They all seem to have their own agendas."

"I don't know. Marcusi seemed to be the only genuine one of the bunch." He'd been our side since the beginning.

"Even he seems to have his own agenda. This 'bond' that you and Bella share. Is it real?" Jasper asked, his voice filled with doubt. "It seems unlikely since you're human, Edward."

"I can assure you. It's real," I growled, my head throbbing from the volume. I shakily pinched my nose, my medication quickly wearing off, engulfing my body in searing pain. "Look, begin your investigations of the council members, Norex and anyone who aligns with him. Someone must have remotely disengaged the shielding from the colony. Be discreet, Jasper."

"I know how to hide my tracks, sir," Jasper replied, eyeing me with concern. "Do you want to go back to your suite? You're looking feverish and your hands are shaking."

"I probably should," I whispered, saving my work on the tablet and tucking it under my arm. With great difficulty, I stood up and slowly hobbled around the desk. I stumbled on one of the rugs. Jasper caught me. "Thank you." I was so frustrated. I should feel better, but it was so slow-going.

"Did Rose or Kunnan tell you when you can start feeling normal?" Jasper asked as we sluggishly began our journey to Bella's suite.

"Every day, I'm getting stronger. When I arrived on Forx, I had to transport from the suite to this office. I can at least walk now. Hopefully in another two weeks, I'll be fine. The medication helps tremendously, but it wears off really fast and I'm back at square one, barely able to walk without assistance," I panted out. Jasper grunted, nodding slightly as he walked me to my quarters. By the time I arrived, I was drenched in sweat and every bone was in agony. "Please inform the crew to meet in the cargo bay at 1100 for Victoria's funeral service. There will be reception in the mess hall, celebrating Victoria's life immediately following. Any crew members from the _Intrepid_ or the _Enterprise_ are welcome to come. Full dress uniforms."

"Understood, sir," Jasper said as he helped me sit down on the sofa in the suite. "I'll keep you appraised of what I find regarding our subjects." He grinned evilly. I thanked him and he left. Catching my breath, I walked into Bella's massive bathroom and slipped into the tepid water in her massive tub, the only thing besides the medication that helped with my pain. I stayed in there until Bella came back from her meetings with Charanel and his tutor. She joined me, taking great pleasure in washing my body. I hated to be cared for. Being this invalid was not something I was used to. I wanted to be back to normal and it was killing me to be so dependent on Bella, Jasper and even Charanel. He was quite strong and was able to help me when I couldn't move, carrying me to wherever I needed to go, namely bed.

Bella and I shared dinner with Charanel after my three hour long bath. Listening to him prattle on about his lessons was a welcome distraction from the sadness of Victoria's funeral tomorrow, the frustration of the cloaking device and feeling of deception regarding the _H'nan_ tragedy. We finished our meal and Charanel practiced his reading with Bella while I let the medication that Kunnan prescribed me to help me sleep work its way through my system. The pain grew exponentially worse at night.

Charanel helped me into the bedroom. "Feel better, Ed. _Te'une fei'rene._"

"I love you, too, brother. Thank you," I said sleepily. He smiled, kissing my head clumsily and ambling out of the bedroom. I kept my eyes open until Bella's naked body was curled against mine, every inch pressed against my side. Her warmth and mind were a soothing balm to my weary soul.

Early the next morning, Bella helped me with my bath and into my dress uniform. It hung loosely on me since I hadn't had much of an appetite and I was losing muscle tone with each day that the _em'tuuk_ gas stayed in my system. Bella forced some _mikraate_ toast and _miranne_ marmalade into me before Kunnan came with the hypospray of my medication.

Under the haze of the medication, Bella and I transported to the _Volvo_. We were going to give Victoria a burial in space, as delineated in her will. I walked into the cargo bay and most of my crew was standing at attention. Sitting on a special platform was a hollow torpedo casing that held Victoria's body, a Federation flag draped over the top. To the left of the torpedo was a raised platform with a Federation flag, along with a Klaxon flag next to it. Standing on the platform were my father and mother, both dressed in their dress uniforms. Elizabeth was standing behind them, wearing a traditional Klaxon funeral tunic. Captain Data and Captain Picard were on the platform, standing tall and proud.

Captain Data, in his own right, was scarred from the _em'tuuk_ gas. A part of his dark brown hair was missing and his cranial cap was on display, blinking in various colorful lights. His left eye was also damaged. The ocular cover was missing and his robotic lens was clearly seen.

Walking onto the platform, I stood at the podium. My pain was a distant memory. My job as a Galaxy Fleet captain was my priority. I needed to honor one of my valued crew members. "At ease," I said. In perfect sync, my crew relaxed and stared sadly at the torpedo. "One of the saddest moments in a career of a Galaxy Fleet captain is delivering the funeral service for one of his crew. When we signed up to join Galaxy Fleet, we knew the risks but still joined anyway. The thrill of exploring space, meeting new species and seeing new technologies was an amazing lure. It's what called me to join.

"Others joined for a chance at a better future, to feel like they truly belong. Commander Victoria Braxas joined Galaxy Fleet for that purpose. She had that inherent thrill of exploration, but after she lost her family on Klaxa Prime, she needed somewhere to go. She wanted a new start and she got that at the Galaxy Fleet Academy. While at the Academy, she gained a new family.

"Victoria sailed through her courses and was quickly assigned to the _Volvo_ as a part of the tactical team. When I joined the crew, she was the associate head of tactical. She kept me on my toes and questioned my authority in many ways when I was the first officer, but forced me to think about things that I wouldn't have even considered. She should have been thrown in the brig for insubordination, but she saved my life more times than I can remember because of her brash, no nonsense take on security. It's what I wanted as a chief tactical officer when I assumed command of this ship.

"But, none of that matters. The only thing that matters is that she's in that tube and not standing with us," I said, tears filling my eyes. "Victoria would probably call us a bunch of pussies for crying over her death." The crowd chuckled, knowing full well that was her way of saying things. "She would want us to string up every last Alphan coward that ever roamed the galaxy for killing those innocent people on _H'nan_. They are without honor, she'd insist. And they aren't.

"Commander Victoria Braxas, though, is with honor. She was a valued member of my crew, _our_ crew. She saved each and every one of us more than once and she was my friend." I turned, reaching for the goblet of blood wine sitting on a tray behind me. "I honor her by drinking to her life and drinking to her death." I held the goblet high before drinking the entire glass of wine. It made my stomach churn, but I stood, unwaveringly. "May Victoria find her way, safely, to the Klaxon afterlife, _X'axcas_. Please chant with me, the _X'axcan_ prayer." Together, we chanted the story of the first Klaxon to reach the afterlife and prayed for Victoria's safe journey, being reunited with her family.

Pressing a button, the torpedo began its deliberate trek down the short track before it would be released into space. Six Federation officers, as the torpedo slid past them, picked up the Federation flag. Folding it with military precision, they handed it to Lieutenant Lauren Mallory. Lieutenant Commander Garrett Anderson blew the whistle as the torpedo slid into the launch bay. We all stood taller, saluting Commander Victoria Braxas as she began her final journey into space.

The sad thing is that she is not the only casualty of this war. Most certainly won't be the last, either. I just hoped that neither Bella nor I would become one of those casualties any shape or form.

Would we survive this?

The pit in my belly disagreed, but my mind prayed and hoped that we would.

**A/N: I forgot how hard it was to write and work at the same time. Being off for summer vacation, it's so easy. I have no schedule, no appointments, no responsibilities. I can write whenever I want, wherever I want. Now? It's limited to the weekends and evenings. Those are filling up. Fast. SOOOOOO…updates for this story will be happening on every OTHER Thursday. (Though, I'm posting this on Wednesday due to the fact that I've got a performance on Thursday this week and will not get home until late.). **

**I do have some photos with this one. You can find them on my blogs and tumblr. Links for all of those (including the **_**Star Crossed **_**specific blog) are on my profile. Please join the **_**Star Crossed **_**blog for bonus teasers and picture teasers. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and on twitter: tufano79. **

**Up next will be Bella. We will see Norex's interrogation and have some interaction with Crown Prince Jakob. Additionally, I'm thinking we will have some 'bonding' time with our two favorite space travelers. Their connection has been a little frayed due to Edward's injury and the deaths of the colonists on **_**H'nan**_** and Commander Braxas. **

**Please, leave me some! :-)**

_H'aaruune ~ Cygnarian funeral rite_

_H'aaruune Ne'irite ~ Cygnarian funeral prayer_

_Em'tuuk _~ _Alphan chemical warfare gas, causes burning of the skin and significant damage to the lungs, muscles and bones. If not treated immediately, can cause blindness, paralysis and death. _

_Mikraate ~ Cygnarian grain, akin to our rye and used to make a hearty bread_

_Miranne ~ __a fruit like a lemon, with a peachy aftertaste_

_X'axcas ~ Klaxon afterlife_


	8. Chapter 8

**So, something completely different…I'm struggling with writer's block and I'm hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group's walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I've always been interested in **_**Star Trek**_** and science fiction. Even before **_**Twilight,**_** it caught my attention. I even wrote some **_**Star Trek: Deep Space Nine**_** fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn't really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I'm not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own **_**Star Trek, **_**which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Up next will be Bella. We will see Norex's interrogation and have some interaction with Crown Prince Jakob. Additionally, I'm thinking we will have some 'bonding' time with our two favorite space travelers. Their connection has been a little frayed due to Edward's injury and the deaths of the colonists on **_**H'nan**_** and Commander Braxas. **

**Chapter Eight**

**BPOV**

I was worried for my mate. It had been three days since Victoria was 'buried' in space. Edward had become depressed, angry and quiet. He barely spoke aloud. His mental communication had all but stopped. The only thing that he was focused on was Victoria and the cloaking device. I tried to speak with him, give him comfort, but he refused me. Refused to touch me or to allow me to touch him. I knew he was physically hurting from his injuries along with the emotional wall he put up between us. I was in just as much pain as him.

If not more.

On the morning of the fourth day of our mental and emotional separation, I went in search of Rose. She was married to him before. It wasn't the same as being mated, bonded through our souls. Perhaps she could provide me with some insight on his moods. I found her in the Imperial School, running scans on my brother as he worked with his tutor. Rose sensed me, giving me a soft smile. Her true emotions were hidden but I knew that she was feeling for me. The concern was clearly etched in her golden eyes. "I think I may have a solution for Charanel's brain damage from the lack of oxygen. However, it may cause his personality to change. There's no telling until we start the procedure…"

"I do not want to lose my brother," I said, looking at him, smiling happily with his tutor. "He may be developmentally delayed and forever trapped in a child's mind, but he's sweet and loving and I don't want him to lose that."

"Let me do some more research. I'd like to take way the possible side effect of the change of personality," Rose said, closing her tricorder. "Now, you are in extreme pain and seem troubled. Let me guess, Emo Edward?"

"Emo Edward?" I asked. My translator must have malfunctioned. I didn't recognize the term she used before my mate's name.

"He's thrown up walls and is buried in work, avoiding dealing with his feelings," Rose deadpanned. "Look, Bella, Edward takes his job very seriously and that includes the safety of his crew. He is probably blaming himself for the death of Victoria even though it was a horrific reaction to the nerve gas that was pumped into the room. He loves to be in control. Everything needs to be in its proper place or he's an absolute mess. The past month has been massive for him with all of the changes he's endured…"

"What can I do? I hate to see him like this. I miss my mate," I said, my heart shattering. "Even though we are close in proximity, there is a huge barrier between us emotionally."

"He needs a swift kick in the ass," Rose grumbled. Her face softened. "He needs to regain his control. You can help with that. Tonight, you need to have some fun with him."

"I am not sure what you mean," I frowned.

"First, you need to take control over him. Tell him to meet you for dinner and follow your rules." Rose smiled impishly. "Try it. Let me know what happens."

I furrowed my brow, confused by her suggestion. She knew him longer than I did, but the suggestion seemed wrong, almost. "I will think about it," I said. "Any other suggestions if that doesn't work?"

"Time," Rose sighed. "Edward will get over it, but this was the first time he lost a crew member while he was captain. It's one thing to lose a crew member that was a coworker, but Edward feels personally responsible for each person on his vessel. The safety of everyone on board is paramount. I can guess that he's feeling like a failure right now; hating himself for what happened."

"If anyone should blame themselves, it's me. If I hadn't contacted the Federation and gotten them involved with our conflict with the Alphans, none of this would have happened," I sniffled, my body trembling in agony from being separated from my mate and bearing his pain as well as my own.

"If you hadn't contacted the Federation, you wouldn't have met Edward," Rose said quietly. I dropped my gaze to the _l'rak_ flooring. That was true. Rose took my hand, squeezing it gently. "Despite his self-loathing, I can still feel his underlying love and adoration of you, Bella. I know you can feel it, too. Talk to him. He can't wallow like this. It isn't healthy. I'm tempted to send some obnoxiously cheery feelings his way just to get the scowl off his face."

"Do you know where he is now?" I asked. "Is Edward on the Volvo? I can't sense him on the surface."

"I think he's on the _Intrepid_, working at deciphering the cloaking technology with Captain Data and Commander Volturi," Rose said. She tapped her communicator. "Halé to Cullen."

"This is Captain Cullen," came the rough voice of my exhausted mate.

"Sir, Kunnan has another injection for your pain management but it could make you drowsy. We need you to return to the surface," Rose lied.

"I'm fine, Rose," Edward said curtly.

"Edward, I do not want to have to relieve you of duty," Rose chided. "You've been pushing yourself too hard as it is. Technically, you should still be on medical leave, but your stubborn ass…"

"Fine! I'll transport in ten minutes," Edward huffed.

"No, now," Rose argued. "If you're not transported into the Imperial Palace in thirty seconds, I will relieve you of duty and confine you to your Imperial quarters…"

Edward's haggard body shimmered down and he was on the surface, scowling at his chief medical officer. His green eyes didn't hold their usual sparkle. He appeared more gaunt and hunched over. "I'm here. Are you happy?"

"No," Rose snorted. "Edward, I'm saying this as a friend and as your medical officer. You look like shit. You are hear by relieved of duty until further notice. When you can eat a meal without throwing up and you don't look like fucking walking skeleton, then I'll allow you back to work." She tapped her communicator. "Halé to _Volvo_. Computer, restrict all access to files on the computer from Captain Edward Cullen. Medical override, Halé, Delta-Omega Three-Seven."

"Rosalie!" Edward snarled. "I can't _not_ work. I have to…"

"Get better. What good are you to your crew looking like this? Feeling the way that you are," Rose murmured. "I will examine you in four days. You are to remain on the surface." She arched a brow, challenging Edward to disobey her medical orders. "Halé to Riley, one to beam up."

"Ready, doctor?" Riley asked over the communicator.

"Yes, sir. Energize," Rose replied and she shimmered out of the school.

Edward's hands clenched as he glared at the spot where Rose was. His mind was a jumble of frustration, anger and despair. Flicking his eyes to me, he scowled. I crossed my arms, scowling right back. Yes, my mate was in pain and deeply saddened by the loss of his friend. He needed to know that he couldn't push me away. I loved him, regardless of his mistakes.

Even though this wasn't a mistake.

It was sick act of war.

Cowardice in poisoning everyone on that abandoned vessel.

Very unlike any Alphan I'd ever met. They were brusque, blunt and ready for a fight. These new tactics were surreptitious and deadly, preying on our vulnerabilities. They were also causing a rift among our people. Causing a rift between my mate and me.

In him, I had found my other half, the rest of my soul. Since the death of my mother and the loss of my father in battle, I felt truly at peace when I was with him. Edward calmed me and loved me in his own way. Now? He was suppressing those feelings and it killed me.

He took a step towards me, grimacing in pain. The _em'tuuk _gas was nearly out of his system, but there were moments where it caused him great deal of pain. Those moments were few and far between, but it was agony for me to watch him crumble. He was strong and proud. Seeing him grasp whatever was closest to him and keep up his weight, it was heart wrenching. He was falling and I rushed over to him, looping my arm under his. He didn't pull away like before. Instead, he gripped my wrist as he dropped to his knees. His blocked feelings pushed out and the searing pain that I experienced nearly knocked me over. What he was experiencing was tenfold, maybe even more.

"_Ti'ane_, I'm here," I said, gently guiding him onto the floor. "I'm not going anywhere."

_Just when I think that I'm feeling better, I get knocked on my ass,_ he groaned, panting heavily and sweat pouring down his face.

"Do you want to go to our quarters and soak in the tub?" I asked, hoping that would soothe his aching body. He growled lowly, anger filtering through our connection. "Don't get mad at me. It's the only thing that calms these attacks."

"Considering that I am unfit for duty, I guess that's all I can really do," he snorted derisively.

"Edward, stop," I snapped. "I know that you are hurting in more ways than one, but snapping at me is not going to bring back Victoria or stop the attacks for the Alphans. We are a team. You are hurting but have you ever considered that I might be hurting, too?"

He looked at me, his green eyes dull. Shame filled his mind and he mentally berated himself, insecurity falling over us like a wet, damp blanket. I stood up, my mask of indifference slipping over my face. I loved him. He was my other half, but he needed to understand that he wasn't alone in his pain, both physical and emotional. "I am going to stay with my brother. You need to see Kunnan for another injection and then meet me in our quarters for our evening meal. We have much to discuss."

He winced at the harshness of my tone. He struggled to his feet and walked out of the Imperial School slowly, his heart stammering against his ribs. I bit back tears and suppressed my own sadness, turning on my heel to join Charanel in the classroom. I needed my brother's happiness and sweet nature right now. Regardless of how bad things got, he always managed to make me smile and give me warm hugs, temporarily erasing the badness of our situation with Alphans. And now, the rift between my mate and me.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

I spent the afternoon with my brother, playing and laughing with him. His tutor was happy that I had joined them since Charanel had been distracted with everything that was going on. We worked on his math skills, civics and finished with a puzzle which challenged my brother. At the end of the day, Charanel wanted to join me for dinner but I sent him with his tutor to eat with Maralice. I needed to have some private time with my mate, but first I wanted to speak with Counselor Marcusi. I needed to know how badly our _Te'atée _bond was frayed.

Chiming his doorbell, I was greeted by one of his children. She led me into Marcusi's study, where he was reading one of our ancient texts about our history. He had been working closely with Edward's mother and sister, trying to solve the riddle about who attacked first, the Alphans or the Cygnarians.

"Empress," Marcusi grinned, closing his book. Looking at me, appraising me, his smile fell almost immediately. "You are in pain, child. What is wrong?"

"Edward blames himself for what happened aboard the Alphan vessel. He has shut down and has pushed everyone away, including me," I sniffled, sitting down on one of his chairs. "How bad is it?"

"If you do not reconnect soon, you both will start to fail," Marcusi said, sitting down across from me and taking my hands. "I know he must be grieving for what happened, but he can't pull away from you like this."

"Edward doesn't understand it. His mind, which is for the most part closed to me, is filled with anger, pain, and frustration. He is not the same from when I first met him. I spoke with Rose and she said that I needed to take control in order to pull him out of this…this…whatever this is. He is so used to be in charge and in control, he was sent into a tailspin when that was ripped away from him. Was our mating a mistake? Was it something that I did?"

"Nirabelle, no," Marcusi soothed, patting my face. "I saw it. I felt it. What you have was intense, sudden and all-encompassing. He is a human and unaccustomed to what he is feeling. In a way, you do need to regain control in your bond. Like I said, if you do not mate soon, or at least heal your connection, you both will begin to fade away. You will go slowly mad and it would not be beneficial for both of you to be lost. Charanel would be placed into power and Norex will assume control over your brother."

"We can't have that," I snarled. "Edward and his first officer, Jasper, believe that Norex had a hand in taking down the shields from the colony."

"He was in custody. He couldn't have," Marcusi frowned.

"He may have had an accomplice," I shrugged. "I do not trust Norex."

"You never have, Nirabelle," Marcusi deadpanned. "Then again, you were always a good judge of character. If you didn't like someone, they weren't worth knowing. You are so much like your father that way." Marcusi stood up, pouring some _c'amuu_, a strong liquor, for both of us. We sipped it and I sighed. "Empress, I think it would be best for you and your mate to go someplace other than the Imperial city. Take him to your childhood home, away from all of this. It's far enough away that you can heal, but close enough that we can transport you back if you're needed."

"Do you think that it's wise for us to leave?" I asked. "I do not want my people thinking that we are acting like cowards."

"Nirabelle, you have acted with decorum and strength. You gave the families of the colonists their _H'aaruune _ceremony and have provided them with that closure. Now, it's time for you and Edward to focus on yourselves. I will make arrangements for a transport to take you to _Ch'ich_."

"We will leave in the morning. Edward had a flare up and will probably be exhausted from it," I said, standing up and smoothing out my dress. "Thank you, Marcusi. I appreciate your guidance."

"My pleasure, Empress," he said with a solemn nod of his head. I smiled softly, leaving his apartment in the northern wing of the palace. On my way back to my suite, I asked the kitchen staff to deliver our meal to my dining room in an hour. The meal I requested was bland but filled with protein. Walking back to my suite, I found Edward on the couch, holding a tablet, but was snoring quietly. He was dressed in civilian clothes, loose fitting and comfortable. Gently, I guided him onto the couch and covered him with a blanket before going into the bedroom to change into something less formal.

I let Edward sleep until the food was delivered by the kitchen staff. I led them to the dining room, asking them to stay quiet and thanking them as they left. Sitting on the couch, I brushed his hair off his forehead and palmed his cheek. His pink skin was warm and his jaw was littered with his stubble.

"Wake up, _ti'ane_," I cooed. His face scrunched up and he blinked a few times. His jade eyes were unfocused and his mind was jumbled. "I have dinner for us."

"Not hungry," he said gruffly.

"Edward, you have lost so much weight. You need to eat," I chided gently. He sat up, groaning as he shifted. "It's a bland meal with a lot of protein. It will help you regain your loss of muscle."

"I haven't wanted to eat since I woke up in sick bay," Edward said, pulling his legs up and resting his cheek on his knees. "The food in my stomach churns uncomfortably."

"_Ti'ane,_ please?" I begged. Wrinkling his nose, he nodded and stood up unsteadily. In the dining room, we sat down and I began serving us. I kept Edward's plate fairly empty due to his upset stomach, but loaded it with a lot of meat. We began eating. The only sounds I heard were our utensils hitting the plates. The silence was almost stifling. Breaking it, I set my fork down. "I spoke with Marcusi today after I spent the afternoon with Charanel."

Edward looked up at me. "About?"

"Our connection," I said. "Our bond. He said that it's bad."

"What does that mean?" Edward asked.

"That if we do not reconnect and reconnect soon, we will begin to fail. We will go insane and…" _We'll die, _I finished mentally. "I know that you are struggling with your own issues, but this, _us_, is important. We cannot lose what we have. _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari. _Do you feel the same?"

"Of course I do," Edward whispered. "I just feel…" His eyes clamped shut and one lone tear slipped out. "Like a failure. The combination of losing Victoria and this reaction the _em'tuuk_ gas, it's preying on my worst fears.

"I know I've pushed you away, Bella. I'm an asshole," he grumbled. "I hate feeling like this: weak, tired, pissed off and scared. I have never experienced the death of a crew member, nor have I been injured to this extent in my entire life. The worst I ever felt was when I broke my arm when I was nine. For four hours, my arm was in agony until it was corrected by the bone knitter." He blew out a breath, pushing his half-eaten meal away. "With this gas, that broken bone is all throughout my body."

"Edward, I've felt it," I replied, taking his hand. "Well, kind of. Through our connection, which is obviously frayed, I've felt the extent of your pain."

"What can we do to fix that problem? The frayed link?" Edward asked.

Snorting, I blushed and my spots warmed. "Mating," I replied. "However, with your injuries, that doesn't sound feasible. Not yet."

"I'm not completely broken," Edward pouted.

I arched a brow. "I know that we made love in the bathtub on the _Volvo_, but like I said, it was a bandage. We need to reconnect like we did after our mating ceremony. Which brings me to what we're doing tomorrow."

"What?" Edward asked.

"We are leaving the Imperial city. You and I are going to my family's home in _Ch'ich_. It is hidden along the southern ridge of the Renien Ocean," I said. "It will be just the two of us. It's far enough away that we can rebuild what we've lost without any interruptions, but close enough that we can transport back here if need be."

Edward's mind was in conflict. He knew that we needed to rekindle our fire. He also hated that he was running away, hiding from the pain he was experiencing from losing his tactical officer. Calling on what Rose mentioned to me, I arched a brow and stared at him. "And it's not a request, Edward. We're going and that's that. Be ready to go by day break."

xx STAR CROSSED xx

Early the next morning, we were helped into a waiting transport vessel. We settled into the passenger bay while the crew began their preflight tests. Edward was quiet, resigned and sad. We didn't talk much after dinner and we slept separately, by my choice. I hated every moment of it. I wanted nothing more than to curl up against his warm body and sleep for days, but the distance was _killing_ me.

He was in physical pain. My pain was now emotional. We had to fix our bond.

"Emperor, Empress, we are ready to depart," said the captain of the transport vessel.

"Whenever you are ready, Captain," I said. He nodded and the engines roared to life. Smoothly, the vessel lifted off and we soared over the Renien Ocean, riding along the coastline for about three hours. Two hours later, we crossed the Nerak Canal and cut south, landing on the landing pad on the western border of my family's summer home in _Ch'ich_.

"Do you need help with your baggage, Empress?" asked the captain.

"We shall be fine," I replied. "Thank you for the safe flight."

"My pleasure, Empress. When you want to return, just contact Counselor Marcusi," he replied. I nodded, giving him a gesture of thanks as we disembarked the transport vessel. We stood off the side as the vessel took off and flew away, heading back north to the Imperial city.

"It's quite warm," Edward said, removing his jacket. "Almost like Earth in the tropics."

"We're lucky. We do not have cold seasons like other planets do. The coolest location is at the Imperial city and even that is relatively warm compared to Earth or even Lapus," I said. "Now, are you hungry? I had the caretaker fill our kitchen with food and necessities for our stay."

"A little," Edward shrugged, picking up both of our bags and slinging them over his shoulder. "How long are we here?"

"As long as it takes," I replied cryptically. "I spoke with Rose and she said that you were long overdue for a vacation. So, you are on shore leave until we are called back to the capital."

"I was supposed to interrogate Norex with Jasper," Edward said.

"It can wait. My uncle is going to remain in that cell until we return, Edward. I do not trust him. I never have," I pressed. "Now, let's get settled in the house." We walked the short distance to the unique home where I spent most of my childhood. Using my palm, the door clicked open. Edward whistled lowly when he saw the interior of the house. It was stark white, but still managed to look lived in. I led Edward up to the second floor where the master bedroom was located. "This was my parent's room," I explained as he placed our bags on a chair in the corner. "My room would not be appropriate as I still have bed from when I was a child in there. We wouldn't fit."

"Cuddling does have its merits," Edward quipped, trying to lighten the heavy air around us.

"It does and I miss it, but with your recovery, this might be the most comfortable for you," I chuckled. "I realize that this is warmer than you anticipated. If you need anything, lighter clothing for instance, you can put in an order for that on this computer console. A local shop owner will deliver it." I slipped into the closet and removed my royal clothing, putting on a loose, light weight dress that was a pearlescent blue. It was one of my mother's favorite dresses and whenever I came to this place, it was the first thing I put on. Braiding my hair and removing all of my Imperial jewelry, save for the pendant and my ring, I walked back out into the bedroom. Edward was sitting on the bed, his hands buried in his hair.

"Bella," he choked out, his eyes meeting mine. "I hate this…I know it was my fault, but I…" He reached for me. Our connection hitched slightly and I took a step towards him. His fingers grazed my leg and I rushed into his arms, holding him tightly. His arms squeezed me to his body and he buried his nose into my neck, inhaling deeply. _I never wanted to push you away, Bella. Never. I just couldn't make sense of all of this. Our mating, this ongoing war, Norex, the Alphans, Victoria…the list goes on. I love you, _Fíorghrá. _Please forgive me. Please? Please…_

Pulling back, I took his face into my hands and stared into his evergreen depths. "Kiss me," I commanded, my voice soft and so needy. He didn't hesitate and he crashed his mouth against mine. His lips were warm, pliant and demanding. My fingers tangled into his hair as I sighed contentedly, feeling our link heal as our mouths moved fervently with each other. His tongue slid inside, massaging my own tongue. His hands slid down my back and he pulled me flush against his body, straddling his waist. I turned my head, deepening our kiss, tasting his sweet mouth. My body reacted to his proximity and the strength behind his kisses. Our need to mate was bubbling to the surface. _I need you, Edward._

His mouth moved from mine and his tongue traced my spots. _You have no idea how much I missed this, Bella. I'm an idiot. Please, let me love you._ He took my face in his hands, his eyes contrite and impossibly sad. I smiled softly, reaching behind me to unzip my dress. Gathering it up my body, I removed it and tossed it onto the floor, revealing my naked body. His eyes darkened when he saw me. Licking his lips, his hands traveled up and down my bare back, resting on my behind. I traced the planes of his handsome face. His eyes fluttered shut, sighing while he pressed his cheek to my hand.

With a shock to my system, I suddenly had the urge to crawl inside of his body and never leave. Snarling lowly, I tore apart his shirt and pressed him back onto the bed. My mouth crashed against his and I hungrily kissed him. He tried to touch me, but I pushed his hands up above his head. He may have needed me, but I needed him more. My mouth glided along his smooth jaw and down his neck. Running my hands through his hair and along his body, I rememorized the feel of his warm, strong body. I slithered down so I was on the floor and I made quick work of his pants, almost giving them the same treatment as his shirt. He began to protest about me being on my knees. I kissed his thighs, admonishing him. _This isn't about you right now. It's about me and I need to taste you. Enjoy it. _

He groaned, watching me with rapt attention. His arousal was hard and standing at full attention, growing to three times its size. The skin was smooth and pink, darkening to a maroon color at the mushroomed head. Using my tongue, I traced the light blue vein underneath his manhood. Edward shuddered and his mind exploded in words that I did not recognize, probably curse words in English. "Shit!" Edward spat as he collapsed on the bed, panting heavily.

"What is it?" I asked, scrambling onto the mattress, wringing my hands nervously.

"Flare up. Can you grab the hypospray from my bag?" he choked out. I went to his bag and found a small box. Opening it, I walked over to Edward, loading up the medication. He stiffly sat up, taking it from my hands and pressing the hypospray to his neck, injecting it. Within a few moments, his breathing regulated and his face smoothed out. He placed the hypospray onto the nightstand and reached for me. Dragging me over his lap, he stared into my eyes. "Where were we?"

"I do not want to cause you more pain," I sniffled.

"I'm fine and will be for at least three hours," he said, his voice rough and deep. "Feeling you, touching you…I need you. You need me. My pain that I was feeling was increased from the pain of not being with you and that was my own damn fault. You are my miracle cure." He kissed me deeply, pressing me against his still hard manhood. Languidly, rolled my hips over him before I pushed him back on the bed.

"Then, I still get my taste," I purred, engulfing his hardness inside of my mouth. His eyes darkened as he gazed down at me, relishing and worshiping his body. After a few moments, his body stiffened and his release coated my throat. He was mentally chastising himself for not lasting longer, enjoying the experience. Licking him clean, I snuggled to his side and traced his tattoo on his ribs. "How are you feeling now?"

"Amazing, but a little embarrassed," he chuckled. "That felt so good that I came really quickly." _Your mouth and tongue…it felt like complete euphoria as you tasted me, _Fíorghrá. "Now, it's my turn…"

"Edward, you do not need to worry about me," I said, my pale skin erupting in a warm blush.

"Bella, I can feel your pain now. It's empty and hollow. I want to do this. I want to make that pain go away, _Fíorghrá. _Besides, there is nothing more erotic than tasting your sweet nectar," he growled, his mind reeling at the thought. He kissed me and gently guided me to the pillows at the headboard. Once I was settled, he ran his tongue along my spots behind my ear and tracing them down my neck. I whimpered, feeling my body become over excited with arousal. Wrapping his lips around my nipple, he slid his hand between my legs. _So wet, Nirabelle. Who makes you this wet?_

"Y-you," I stammered, watching his tongue flick my nipple. I spread my legs further apart, allowing him more access. He pressed two of his fingers inside of me, circling his thumb along my sensitive bundle of nerves at the entrance to my sex. Nipping down my body, he finally settled between my legs, his lips millimeters away from my leaking body. His green eyes moved from mine to where he was slowly pumping his hand. My fingers tangled into his hair, wanting him to lick me.

_No need to beg, Empress. I will give you want you need. What you desire, _he crooned mentally, his nose tracing along my inner thigh. With an open mouthed kiss, he suckled on my leg before finally running his tongue along my sex. I screamed, pressing my head back into the pillows. His mouth was moving reverently, slowly as he took his time tasting every inch of my body. His fingers were holding my folds apart as he languorously brought me closer and closer to my release. His mind was coaxing me, urging me to let go. Like him, I didn't want these feelings that I was experiencing to stop. We had been in pain for so long; feeling pleasure was the sweetest torture.

Emanating from my belly, a warmth began to grow inside of me. I gasped at how wonderful it felt. Edward kept his mouth on me, increasing his movements on my nub. The warmth intensified and it was pulsing with each heartbeat. I was squirming, writhing on the bed. My legs as far as they could be spread, needing more. I desperately wanted to feel Edward's length inside of me. He said that he wanted to taste me as I had my orgasm. Panting shallowly, I rocked my hips against his mouth. He growled lowly, slipping in two fingers inside and curling them in me. With the vibrations of his voice, the movement of his fingers and the slick feeling of his tongue, I imploded with pleasure. Waves of absolute happiness and ecstasy pulsated out of me. I screamed, clawing my fingers in Edward's hair before slumping onto the bed.

He crawled up my body, kissing my belly until he reached my lips. Devouring my mouth, he rolled us so he was on his back and I was perched on his lap. I ground into his renewed arousal. He grunted. _Bella, you were begging for me to be inside of you while I was fucking you with my tongue. I need to feel your body wrapped around me. Please, _Fíorghrá, _make love to me. _

I pulled back and stared at him. There was a hint of embarrassment in his eyes. He was still weak and unable to take me like he wanted. I didn't care. I could feel our bond healing with each moment our skin was in contact with each other. Lining up his manhood with my sex, I smiled softly at him. Using a human phrase, I slid down, "I love you, Edward." His arousal filled me and I nearly sobbed with happiness. I could feel my spots glow with a warm white light. Helping him sit up, I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him gently, rocking over him, taking his body inside of mine. His arms were clutching me, helping me move as he nipped at my lips. We were so close that I didn't know where he ended and I began.

Too soon, the feeling of ecstasy began to build between us and Edward cupped my face. His mind was chanting his unending love for me and numerous apologies for pushing me away. I accepted them readily, saying that he was showing me how he felt with our mating, our bond. He kissed me deeply as his length grew inside of me. He growled deeply, begging me to come with him. I merely nodded, scratching my fingernails down his back as the muscles between my legs clenched around him, my arousal spilling down him. Edward pulled away and I could see a subtle glow in his green eyes. His mouth hung open and he was pleading for release. With a harsh kiss, we fell over the edge together, clinging to each other as his body filled mine with his orgasm.

I slowed my moving, laying my head on his shoulder and sighing contentedly. He tightened his arms around me and he pressed soft kisses to my forehead. "I am sorry, Bella. I know that…" _I shouldn't have ever pushed you away. Please, please forgive me_.

"I already have," I whispered, pushing him onto the bed. "What you experienced was incredibly painful, both emotionally and physically. I hated to see you so upset and in so much agony. When you hurt, I hurt." I kissed his plump lips gently. "Now, rest, _ti'ane_. That was exhausting for you and I do not want you to be worn out for later."

"What's later?" he asked, his eyes darkening with desire.

"More of this, but in the pool," I giggled.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

We were left alone for nearly a week. Edward and I made love in nearly every room of the summer home in _Ch'ich. _By far our favorite location to make love was in the massive pool overlooking the Renien Ocean. In addition to our bond healing, Edward was almost back to his pre-gas self. He found the gym my father kept in the basement of the house and made good use of it, rebuilding the lost muscle.

The only interruption we had was when Rose transported to give Edward a physical. Kunnan was with her, checking to see if the gas had completely left his system. Thankfully, it had and Edward was given a clean bill of health, fit to return to duty once we got back from _Ch'ich. _Rose said that the _Intrepid _and the _Enterprise_ were patrolling the system, watching for rogue Alphan ships. They had cracked the code of the cloaking device and now knew what to look for. We could remain in my summer home for another two weeks, but I knew Edward was anxious to get back to the _Volvo. _

I was also anxious to get back to the Imperial city. Our idyll had been exactly what the doctor ordered, but our responsibilities were still waiting for us. Jasper was chomping at the bit to interrogate my uncle, but would not do so without Edward. There were things that I needed to address regarding reparations for the families of the _H'nan_ colonists, but were tabled until my return. We also needed to finish choosing the delegation for the Federation so they could return to Earth on the Enterprise.

Once Rose and Kunnan left, Edward and I decided to give ourselves three more days in _Ch'ich_ and then contact the transport vessel to fly us back. We could use the transporter, but the nearly six hours on the ship was relaxing and Edward mentioned something about joining the 'Mile High Club.' I didn't know what he was talking about, but based on the sexy, smarmy grin he wore, it probably included both of us being naked and mating on the transport vessel.

The evening before we were to leave our secret hideaway, Edward said that he wanted to take me on a picnic. "We're mated, bonded for the rest of our lives and I have yet to take you on a date," Edward quipped, slinging a bag over his shoulder.

"A date?" I asked.

"It's a custom on Earth. When a guy is interested in a girl, they go out, getting to know each other. Our relationships are not as cut and dry as Cygnarian's imprinting. We have to try people on for size to see if they are the right one for us," Edward explained, leading me away from the house and toward a private beach. "Now, we may be mated, but that doesn't mean that I should slack off in by denying my _Fíorghrá_ these dates."

"That sounds really sweet," I said, threading my fingers with his. "What happened if you hit it off?"

"Then a second date would happen. If things continued, then you'd become exclusive with the girl or guy," Edward shrugged.

"Did you go on many of these dates?" I asked.

"Not too many. I was very focused on my studies. I knew from a young age that I wanted to join Galaxy Fleet," Edward shrugged. "Prior to Rose, I had only one other girlfriend, a human girl named Tessa. We didn't last long because she didn't want me to join Galaxy Fleet. Instead, she wanted me join her father's law firm. That was not my dream. I always wanted to explore the stars. Not sit behind a desk.

"We tried to make it work, but her fear of me leaving the solar system overrode our feelings and we split up." He pulled out a blanket once we reached the beach and spread it on along the pink sand. "What about you? Did you have any secret admirers?"

I giggled, sitting down on the blanket. "No. Unless you were mated, you did not interact with members of the other gender. The only other males that I saw besides my father and brother were the council members. Even my security team was comprised of female guards."

"Is it like that with all Cygnarians?" Edward questioned.

"Not so much. They were stringent on keeping me separated from males because I am a royal. My parents needed to ensure that I mated with another noble. Additionally, noble families also do the same in separating males and females. The rest of the population, they do not follow the same guidelines," I said, removing my sandals.

"And that's why Norex was so dead set against our union," Edward surmised.

"Right. You are not Cygnarian, nor are you a member of the Cygnarian nobility. My deceased imprint was the son of one the governors of the northern continent, _Tu'uascn_," I said. "Norex tried to push for my mating with their youngest son, but he was in diapers when his older brother was killed. Besides, a test indicated that we wouldn't have been a compatible match either."

"Will Charanel be mated?" Edward whispered, setting out various containers of food.

"I do not know. We've tried to explain to him the mating bond and the phenomenon of imprinting, but he'd wrinkle his nose at touching a girl that wasn't me or Maralice. He doesn't understand," I said sadly. "Now, what else happens on dates?"

Edward laughed, running his hand through his highlighted hair. It had brightened from being in the sun nearly every day since our arrival. His skin had also darkened slightly, with some spots littered across his nose. He called them freckles. "Usually on first dates, it's awkward conversation about their lives and long silences. As the relationship continues, the conversations can include everything from mundane things about work to funny stories with friends. If they're lucky though, at the end of the first date, there's a kiss."

I leaned forward, brushing my lips with his. "Like that?" I giggled.

"Hmmm, yep," he purred, brushing my curled hair away from my face and kissing me ever so softly.

"I think I like dating," I smiled against his mouth.

"Dating is great, but mating is better," he said, pulling me into his lap and wrapping his arms around my waist. "I love the idea that you're mine and that I'm yours."

"_Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari,"_ I whispered, snuggling into his arms.

"_Te-atée miru, ti'ane miru, sa-ahari,_" he replied. We sighed, watching the sun begin to dip below the horizon. We took turns nibbling the finger foods we made until the sky was only lit up by a sprinkling of stars and the two Cygnarian moons. Edward pulled out a tricorder, punching in a few codes and grinning crookedly. Reaching into his bag, he took out a telescope. "I want to show you something, Bella." He pressed his eye up to the lens. "Come here…"

"What?" I asked, looking through the viewfinder.

"Do you see the set of three stars, in a straight line?" Edward asked.

"Yes," I replied.

"The one in the middle, that's the earth's sun," Edward whispered.

"How far away is it?" I murmured.

"A hundred light years. About a three week trek from here on the Volvo," Edward said. "I know that I am now the emperor of Forx, but I do want to take you to my home planet once all of this is done."

"I'd love that," I smiled, looking at him. He looked so nervous, but he relaxed when I agreed to go. Biting my lip and my spots glowing a warm purple, I crawled back and pushed Edward onto the blanket. "Have you ever mated on a beach?"

"No, but there's a first time for everything," he growled, pulling me down to his mouth and kissing me hungrily. Just as his hand was about to cup my rear end, his communicator chirped from the bag. Sitting up, he reached inside, tapping it. "Cullen."

"Sir, we hate to interrupt, but you and Empress Nirabelle need to transport back to the palace," Jasper's voice said quietly. "The palace tried to reach you at the house, but you were not responding to hails."

"We were not in the house, Commander," Edward retorted, keeping me on his lap. "What's up?"

"You just need to come back, Captain," Jasper sighed.

"Understood. Give us about fifteen minutes to clean up and we'll contact you," Edward grumbled. "Cullen out."

We put the telescope away and loaded up the bag with the food containers. Walking briskly, we made it back to the house and went about gathering our belongings and locking things up. Twenty minutes later, Edward contacted the Volvo and we were transported back to the Imperial Palace, in the center of the throne room. Maralice and D'Metri were waiting for us, guiding us into the command center of the palace. Jasper and the new tactical officer, Lt. Commander Garrett were looking at a recording. The Council of Elders were watching as well.

"Report," Edward said curtly, falling back into his role as captain.

"We just received this message from Crown Prince Jakob," Jasper explained, pressing a few controls and Jakob's evil sneer filling the screen. Another button was pressed and the resonant tone of my arch enemy filled the room.

"You are quite resilient, Empress. I've tried to kill you on three separate occasions and each time, you manage to slip away. The first was on Lapus. How you got that message up to that weakling captain is beyond me. The second was on that ridge on the colony in _H'nan_. The third attempt was aboard that Alphan vessel. You just won't die."

He tented his fingers, running his talons together. "I will kill you, though, Nirabelle. You and your weakling, human mate. Only after I tear you apart. I will feel you. Your _funoch_ will be ripped to shreds when I am done with you."

His face morphed into an evil smile. "I bet you are wondering how I am one step ahead of you, Empress. I'll give you one hint, _b'tak_. You have a traitor in your midst. When the time is right, their identity will be revealed. Until then, I promise to terrorize you as often as I can. What I did on _H'nan_ is nothing compared to what I have planned for Forx. And you will never know what hit you, Empress. You will be the ruler of ash and death. _Oo-out!_"

I was trembling, terrified of the obvious threat made by Jakob. The last thing I remember was Edward's arms around me and his mind frantically calling for mine as I slipped into unconsciousness, scared out of my mind.

**A/N: So, this chapter kind of got away from me. In a good way, I hope. Originally, I had planned for the interrogation of Norex to happen in this chapter, but it would lend itself better in EPOV. You did, however, get some lemonade (and probably would have gotten more if it weren't for that stupid Jakob…)**

**I do have some pictures with this chapter. They are found on my Tufano79 blog, Star Crossed blog and tumblr. Links for all of those are on my profile. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and on twitter: tufano79. **

**Now, who do you think is the traitor? Leave me some guesses...along with some lovin…**

_L'rak ~ an iridescent marble, akin to travertine and granite. Extraordinarily expensive on Forx _

_Funoch ~ Alphan swear word, pussy_.


	9. Chapter 9

**So, something completely different…I'm struggling with writer's block and I'm hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group's walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I've always been interested in **_**Star Trek**_** and science fiction. Even before **_**Twilight,**_** it caught my attention. I even wrote some **_**Star Trek: Deep Space Nine**_** fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn't really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I'm not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own **_**Star Trek, **_**which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Chapter Nine**

**BPOV**

_Twenty minutes later, Edward contacted the Volvo and we were transported back to the Imperial Palace, in the center of the throne room. Maralice and D'Metri were waiting for us, guiding us into the command center of the palace. Jasper and the new tactical officer, Lt. Commander Garrett were looking at a recording. The Council of Elders were watching as well. _

"_Report," Edward said curtly, falling back into his role as captain. _

"_We just received this message from Crown Prince Jakob," Jasper explained, pressing a few controls and Jakob's evil sneer filling the screen. Another button was pressed and the resonant tone of my arch enemy filled the room. _

"_You are quite resilient, Empress. I've tried to kill you on three separate occasions and each time, you manage to slip away. The first was on _Lapus_. How you got that message up to that weakling captain is beyond me. The second was on that ridge on the colony in _H'nan_. The third attempt was aboard that Alphan vessel. You just won't die." _

_He tented his fingers, running his talons together. "I will kill you, though, Nirabelle. You and your weakling, human mate. Only after I tear you apart. I will feel you. Your _funoch_ will be ripped to shreds when I am done with you." _

_His face morphed into an evil smile. "I bet you are wondering how I am one step ahead of you, Empress. I'll give you one hint, _b'tak_. You have a traitor in your midst. When the time is right, their identity will be revealed. Until then, I promise to terrorize you as often as I can. What I did on _H'nan_ is nothing compared to what I have planned for _Forx_. And you will never know what hit you, Empress. You will be the ruler of ash and death. _Oo-out_!"_

_I was trembling, terrified of the obvious threat made by Jakob. The last thing I remember was Edward's arms around me and his mind frantically calling for mine as I slipped into unconsciousness, scared out of my mind._

**EPOV**

"Nirabelle?" I whispered, catching her as she slumped. Guiding her to the ground, I clutched her to my body. "Nirabelle! Wake up, love. Please?"

Rose walked over, using a tricorder to run a scan. "Her heart rate is elevated and her mind is running a mile a minute. I can feel her terror, Captain."

"Jakob's face and his threats are running on a loop in her mind," I said, pulling her closer to me. I looked up at Counselor Marcusi. "We need to pull back Cygnarian forces from the Alphan border, tighten up our defenses. We need to protect the planet from any attacks."

"I'll contact our fleet commanders, requesting them to return to Forx," Marcusi nodded.

"Commander Whitlock, I need you hail any nearby Federation vessels. We need as much backup as we can," I directed. I looked to my father who had joined us at the end of the message from Jakob. "Is that okay, Admiral?"

"Whatever you need, Emperor," my father said.

"I'm still a Galaxy Fleet captain," I retorted.

"Right now, you are speaking as the Emperor of Forx," Maralice explained. "Empress Nirabelle is not in any shape to make any decisions, Emperor." I looked down at my mate, who was so fragile in my arms. I pressed my forehead to hers, wishing she would wake up. This wasn't just _my_ decision. It was hers as well. I pressed my lips to her soft, fragrant skin.

"What is the protocol for a situation like this?" I asked, looking up to Maralice and D'Metri.

"Assemble the governors and nobles for a symposium regarding the matter. We need to strategize a plan of attack," D'Metri replied. "Shall I contact them?"

"Yes, please," I nodded. "Ask that they get here as quickly as possible."

"I'll arrange for the symposium to happen first thing tomorrow morning, Emperor," D'Metri said, bowing deeply before striding out of the throne room.

"Maralice, please get Kunnan and have him meet us in the Empress's quarters and contact all of the remaining Galaxy Fleet senior staff, asking them to join me in my quarters here on the surface. I need to debrief my crew. Meeting in an hour," I said, picking up Bella from the ground. I was still weakened by my bout with the _em'tuuk_ gas, but I needed to keep my mate close. Her mind was now filled with terror, flashes of what could happen invading her subconscious. Her beautiful face was pinched and tears were flowing from her closed eyes. With a grunt, I carried my mate out of the throne room and into her private quarters, closing the door. I sank onto the couch, holding her to me, nuzzling her hair. _Nirabelle, listen to my voice. Focus on me, love. Please…come back to me. _

She didn't respond. Cygnarian words were repeating in her mind followed by imagined visions of her dead father, her brother maimed beyond all recognition and my own corpse, staring lifelessly up at her, waxy and pale.

"Emperor," called Jerasse, one of Bella's hand maidens, from the entrance of the suite. "Kunnan is here, sir."

"Thank you," I muttered, looking up at the tall, bald doctor who had treated my _em'tuuk_ gas exposure. He glided in, sitting down on the chair closest to where I was holding Bella. "Her mind is reeling, Kunnan. It's a never ending cycle of nightmarish visions. What could happen and what has happened. "

"She must be terrified," he whispered. "However, if she stays inside of herself, she could be permanently trapped within her own mind, her worst nightmares becoming her reality while her body withers away. It's called _zi'tkm_, or what you would consider to be a catatonic state."

"How do we get her out of it?" I asked.

"Only her mate can successfully breach her mind. You need to coax her out of her _zi'tkm_. However, I know that is not feasible at this moment since you need to meet with your crew and the Assembly of Nobles," Kunnan said. "I can sedate her. It will stop her mind from looping her most terrifying nightmares. When the sedation wears off, you need to be with her, love her and soothe her mind with yours. Your doctor, Dr. Halé, who is an empath, will greatly help in that venture. She can amplify your emotions and wrap the empress in what she needs."

"Speak with Dr. Halé and make arrangements for as soon as we're done with our debriefing. Also, please ask for Maralice to stay with Empress Nirabelle. I want her to be surrounded by those who truly love her," I said, nuzzling her soft cheek. "_Fíorghrá, _I will be back as soon as I can. I love you so much. Please come back to me." Kunnan reached into his bag and pressed his hypospray to Bella's neck. Her nightmarish visions disappeared from my mind. She slumped into my arms and her face evened out, but still looked troubled. "Keep me appraised of anything that happens, Kunnan."

"I will, Emperor," he said, bowing deeply. "Do you want her to be in her bed?"

"Yes. I'll carry her," I said curtly. My need to protect her was overwhelming and I didn't want anyone touching her but me. Scooping her in my arms, I carried her to our bed and I gently laid her onto the white, fluffy sheets. Brushing her hair away from her face, I kissed her lips. "_Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari. _I'll be back as soon as I can, love. I promise."

Once Maralice arrived with Charanel, I left for my office. I needed to be strong for Bella, for Forx. What I did, as of right now, would determine the future of the planet. It scared me to no end. Commanding a Federation vessel was something that I was familiar with, what I was comfortable with. I had been a part of Galaxy Fleet for as long as I could remember. I grew up on a Federation vessel. Leading an entire planet? I was not ready for the ramifications of what I was stepping into. I was not a Cygnarian. I was a human, who for all intents and purposes, was not well-liked due to my mating to Nirabelle. What right do I have to make decisions for these people?

Arriving at my office, I was grateful that the senior staffs from the _Enterprise,_ the _Intrepid _and the _Volvo _were seated inside. I looked to Captain Data and Captain Picard, along with my father, needing some advice. "Thank you for being prompt. Have you contacted nearby vessels?"

"We have six ships near the Turulian border that are heading toward Alphan space. Five more are going to stand with us in Cygnarian space, guarding Forx. The _Defiant_ is going to be standing by to pick up the colonists near the _Cygnari_ nebula, shuttle them back to Forx. Plus, we have several War Fleet ships that are going to do some recon in Reman territory," Captain Picard said, reading from his tablet.

"The cloaking device is definitely Reman and was taken from a prototype of the _Scimitar, _the ship that attacked the _Enterprise _a couple of years ago," Captain Data confirmed.

"Was it taken by force or was this technology shared willingly?" I asked. I was curious of the Remans were truly the Alphan's ally or another victim of their scourge. It didn't makes sense.

"The cloaking device had damage sustained to it. That could have occurred when it was integrated into the Alphan ship's systems or when it was removed from the bulkhead a couple of weeks ago," Commander Volturi said. "For all we know, the Remans may have given the prototype to the Alphans when the _Scimitar's_ predecessor was scrapped."

I scrubbed my face. "What would the Remans have gained by helping the Alphans? Another ally? They don't interact with any other species besides the Romulans and occasionally the Turulians. The Remans are xenophobic."

"We don't know. That's why we're sending several stealth ships to do some reconnaissance on Remus," Jasper said. "Hopefully, we can access their database, figuring out what their motivation was in giving the Alphans the cloak or if it was stolen. If that's the case, the Remans would probably join in the fight…"

"It's highly unlikely they'll help," Captain Picard chimed in.

"I agree," Data concurred.

"I'd rather there be a diplomatic solution," I said, frowning deeply. "Always, that's my goal. I do not want to fight in battles that where we could lose ships, Galaxy Fleet officers, Forx civilians…Our mission is one of peace." Everyone nodded, remembering the doctrine upon which the Federation was founded. "Admiral, has Elizabeth or Mom found out any information about who attacked first in the Cygnarian archives?"

"They're working now. I can contact them and have them report their findings," my father said.

"Do it, sir," I nodded.

He chuckled. "Right now, you're _my _boss, Emperor." I smirked. "I'll be right back." Walking out of my office, my father tapped his communicator.

"Commander Whitlock, is there any way we can send stealth ships to Alphan territory?" I mused. "I'm curious if they can shed some light on our 'who attacked first' conundrum. Access their computer database?"

"I'll contact the War Fleet Wing Commander," Jasper said, taking out his tablet. "Also, we should interrogate Norex. Jakob did say that there was a traitor on the surface. We need to find out who and I think Norex is our best bet at figuring that out."

"We'll do that after I meet with the Assembly of Nobles. I want to get a read on them," I said. "Perhaps Norex has more followers than we anticipated. Rose, I want you in there with me."

"Understood, sir," Rose nodded.

"I also want you to join me in a medical procedure for Nirabelle once we leave," I said, tapping out a message on my tablet, sending it to Rose. _Nirabelle is in a catatonic state, being assaulted with visions of what could happen. It's terrifying. Kunnan said that she could be stuck in this _zi'tkm_ if we don't draw her out. I'm the only one who can reach her due to our telepathic connection. Your empathic abilities can help…please, I can't lose her. _Rose winked, sitting back on the couch within my office. She was on board.

The door swung open and my parents, along with my sister, walked into my office. There was also a Cygnarian historian following them. She was petite, reminding me a lot of my mate, but her eyes were a warm purple. "What have you found?" I asked, turning to them.

"This is Ange'le, the chief historian at the Cygnarian archive," Esme said, pointing to the Cygnarian woman. "She's been invaluable in translating and interpreting the histories we've discovered."

"Thank you, Ange'le," I smiled.

"You are quite welcome, Emperor," she said, her voice nervous and small. She appeared anxious, shuffling on her feet. "Your mother is quite the skilled archeologist and your sister is one of the best cultural anthropologists I'd ever worked with and I've been working in the archives for over fifty years." My sister blushed, smiling crookedly. "Now, we did a great deal of research, trying to find as much as we could regarding the Alphans and this never ending war."

Elizabeth connected her tablet to the screen and there were several books and scrolls on display. "These artifacts are the first that mention the Alphans. There is some confusion since they are written in a Cygnarian dialect that is now considered to be 'dead.' Not many know how to translate this, but Ange'le knew enough to start our research and found her mentor, J'amaru, who was able to finish the translation."

"What does it say?" I asked.

"It mentioned an angry monster, coming to outlying villages of the Imperial city, stealing food, animals, weaponry and technology. The description matches the Alphan physiology and there were a few drawings among the scrolls," Elizabeth said, tapping a few buttons and showing a few crude drawings of Alphan warriors.

"These are carbon dated at about seven hundred years ago," Esme added. "According to J'amaru, the Cygnarians had just begun exploring their own planet, using early air craft and self-propelled land vehicles. They had not left orbit of Forx."

"So, could this be the answer to who started this all?" Jasper asked. "It was the Alphans?"

"It would appear so, but I'd love to cross reference this with their historical data," Esme said. "Had they harnessed the ability to travel through space? Jump technology? Based on our most current information, it would have taken the Alphans of that time approximately a hundred years to travel from Lapus to Forx without jump capabilities. Why would they travel through space to capture food, water, and supplies when there are nearby planets that had similar needs within the Alphan system?"

"Their ships look rickety and old," Garrett, my new tactical officer, said. "Even now, they don't look space-worthy. I would not want to be aboard one of those vessels while it's traveling at light speeds. I'd be terrified that it would fly apart."

"Perhaps they evolved too quickly," Commander Volturi suggested. "They built all they could, sending ships all different directions?"

"That sounds plausible," Esme said, looking at my sister. "Tell them what you discovered from the _Volvo's_ sensors while you were at Lapus with the Empress, when she was taken prisoner and Maralice was attacked."

"From the scans that you gathered when you were in orbit, Edward, Lapus is a dying planet. Its own natural resources are nearly bled dry. They probably developed immensely early, stripping Lapus of everything that makes it a _Class-M_ planet. The air is nearly toxic, filled with a great deal of carbon dioxide, toxic gases and pollution. All natural water sources are poisoned with nuclear sludge and there are no fish or anything living within the waters. Other than the Alphans, there are very few wild animals. Most of their food sources are coming from domesticated animals within special containment facilities. Those animals are genetically enhanced, created using science and not found in the wild. It honestly reminds me of Earth before we passed the clean air laws nearly two hundred years ago," Elizabeth said, wrinkling her nose. "The life span of an Alphan is significantly lower than that of a Cygnarian or even a human. The world is killing them. Almost all of the Alphans on the planet are suffering from radiation poisoning and illnesses related to that. If you took a medical scan of Jakob or any Alphan, most of them would probably be in advance stages of cancer from these contributing factors."

"Is that why they are increasing their attacks?" I asked. "They want to colonize Forx? Kill this world, too?"

"That we don't know," Esme said. "The reasoning behind their attacks is still a mystery. However, it goes without saying that the Alphans, their species will be extinct within the next one hundred years if they remain on Lapus. Rosalie can confirm our findings."

"Not many on this planet would cry over that," I muttered under my breath. "How should we proceed?"

"You need to inform the Assembly of Nobles," D'Metri mentioned from the doorway.

"I intend to," I nodded. "Mom, Elizabeth, can you prepare a presentation for the Assembly of Nobles tomorrow morning? They need to be made aware of this. Captain Data, can you continue working on the cloaking device and its Reman connection?"

"Understood, Emperor," Data replied.

"The rest of us, work on ways to clean up Lapus. That's our way to stop this from becoming a bloodbath," I said. "Even if we find a new planet for them to colonize, we have to offer them suggestions. It's our diplomatic solution."

"Do you still want to interrogate Norex?" Jasper asked, his eyes somewhat dimmed from the possibility of not having his fun.

"Oh, I do. The day after tomorrow," I said, standing up. "Make whatever preparations you need, Commander Whitlock."

"Understood, Captain," Jasper responded, his face grim. "Erm, Emperor."

"You have your assignments," I sighed, tugging my hands through my hair. "I have to attend to my mate. She is…" My heart cracked inside of my chest. The sedative was beginning to wear off.

"We understand, Emperor," Ange'le urged. Biting my lip, I turned on my heel and walked toward our shared quarters, with Rose on my heels.

"Do you have any idea how this is going to work?" I asked.

"No clue, Edward," Rose replied. "But, from the anguish I'm feeling from Bella, it needs to work quickly."

"My heart is breaking, Rose," I muttered, looking at my ex-wife and closest friend. I rubbed my chest, trying to stop the dull ache within. Waving my hand over the palm reader, the door unlocked to our quarters. Walking into the bedroom, I saw Maralice and Kunnan monitoring Bella's rest. "Any news?"

"She's coming to," Maralice said, her face lined with distress.

"What do I need to do?" I questioned.

"You both need to be naked," Kunnan explained. "The more you are touching, the stronger your connection will be. We'll leave so you can remove the Empress's clothing as well as yours. Then, you need to hold her and enter her mind."

"How do I do that?" I asked, confused.

"I'll guide you," Kunnan said. "But, there is a risk that you will get pulled in with her. This is a very delicate procedure. We'll leave you to prepare the Empress." He looked at Rose and Maralice, nodding to the door. They left our room and I tugged on my hair, again. Looking at my mate, she was obviously in distress. Her mind was tidal wave of nightmarish visions and Jakob's face. I needed to help her. I had to bring her back.

Walking to our bed, I sat her up, leaning her against my body. I quickly removed her clothing and tucked her into the bed. I went into the bathroom, relieving myself and then taking off my own clothes. Crawling into bed, I gathered my mate, my _life_, into my arms. As if she knew I was there, she clung to me. I closed my eyes, burying my nose into her sweet-smelling hair.

There was a knock on the door and Kunnan entered with Rosalie. He affixed a monitoring device to my temple. "This is to enhance the telepathic link since you are human. Your bond is incredibly strong, but the telepathic connection just needs a little extra boost to ensure that this procedure works."

"What do I need to do?" I questioned, tightening my hold on her.

"Reach out to her telepathically. Once you are in her mind, you need to find the true Nirabelle. She's fallen deep into her subconscious, lost in what could happen," Kunnan said. "And what has happened. You need to help her out of her mind, recognizing what she needs to work toward. Your mating, the future of all Cygnarians, her father's dream realized, your children…"

"Is she?" I asked, looking up at Kunnan.

"No, Emperor. The medication I gave her, it prevents pregnancy," Kunnan said. "It prevents the _El-lak D'nus._"

"Oh," I frowned. I had hoped, naively, that the strength of our bond would have counteracted the medication.

"Now, you will feel sleepy when I activate neurotransmitter to enhance your telepathic abilities, but you will remain aware. Just groggy," Kunnan said, pressing a few buttons on his scanner. I felt the device on my head buzz to life and I immediately felt tired. Despite my exhaustion, my mind was sharper than ever and tendrils of my subconscious found Bella's. I closed my eyes, holding her tightly in my arms and I began my journey to bring her back.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

_Looking around, I barely recognized the Imperial Palace. It had been destroyed, crumbling and the smell of death hung heavily in the air. The breeze was cool and the sky was a deep purple, covered with thick clouds. Ominously, the sounds of exploding bombs ran in the distance. I began to explore the palace, first checking the throne room. There was nothing left. A few guards were laying on the ground, their eyes fixed in their blank stare of death. I closed them before continuing moving toward the Council Chambers. _

"_Emperor," came a weak voice. "Help me…" _

_I ran toward the voice, finding tiny Maralice trapped underneath a large beam. Her legs were bent unnaturally. Her head was bleeding, trickling down her cheek. "Maralice," I whispered. "What happened?"_

"_The Alphans…they used their weapons to bomb the palace," she forced out. "The Council of Elders, Empress Nirabelle, Prince Charanel…all dead…"_

"_No, they're not," I said. "This is not real, Maralice."_

"_Yes, it is," she wheezed out. "You're all we have left."_

"_I'm doing everything in my power, Maralice. But, believe me, this is _not_ real," I said. "You are on the surface of Forx, but there has been no attack."_

"_Emperor…" she whimpered. She took a deep breath in, but nothing exhaled. Her blue eyes were now staring at nothing as the lights flickered out. Maralice had died. I shook my head, closing her eyes and continuing my exploration of the war-ravaged palace. _

_I knew that the death of Maralice stood for something. I couldn't let anyone else die. I had to get them to believe me that this was not the real palace and that, for the time being, everyone was safe. Stumbling along the rubble, I made it to the Council Chambers. Aro and Caius were slumped in their seats on the dais while Marcusi was strewn on the table. I ran to him first, checking for a pulse. It was weak and thready, but his heart was still beating. I rolled him over, rubbing my fist on his chest. He groaned, swatting at me. "Marcusi, open your eyes," I commanded._

"_Emperor?" he croaked._

"_Yes, it's me," I said, watching as he slowly became aware. "Are you okay?"_

"_Sore, but fine," he answered, sitting up and looking around. "What happened?"_

"_Nothing," I answered. Marcusi looked at me like I was crazy. "This isn't real. You are caught in Bella's mind."_

"_Then, why do I hurt?" he retorted. _

"_Because Bella's hurting," I replied. "She's stuck in her head, in this reality. I need you to believe me and _leave_ this place. If your pain goes, then I have a better chance of reaching her."_

"_Where should I go?" Marcusi asked, still not convinced. _

_I tapped my chest where my communicator was still located. "Cullen to _Volvo_," I said. _

"Volvo_ here," said the disembodied voice of an unnamed officer. _

"_Lock on to Counselor Marcusi and beam him directly to sick bay," I commanded. Marcusi disappeared and the pain that I was experiencing through Bella lessened. My mission was now clear. I had to get each 'person' out of the palace and I would be able to reach her. I did the same with Aro and Caius, but didn't rouse them. They were unconscious and appeared to be severely injured. The pressure in my head and on my heart improved greatly when they were gone. Now, fully understanding what needed to be done, I ran through the palace, transporting each living person up to the _Volvo_. I even went back to Maralice, despite her apparent death. _

_It took me nearly an hour to find everyone. The only people that were missing were Nirabelle, Charanel and Norex. Wandering the palace, I finally found the three of them inside of the school, along with another me. Nirabelle was cradling my body, sobbing hysterically. Her voice was rough and desperate. Charanel was held at gun point by Norex. "You did this, you hateful _xytiria,_" snarled Norex. "If you had just gone to Jakob, all of this would have been avoided. Now, Forx is ruined because of you. You bring shame to our family and to our people."_

"_Bella," I called, crawling to her. She ignored me and she clung to my doppelganger's corpse. I reached out to touch her, but my hand went right through her body. Her cries turned to screams. This was the ultimate test. I had to make Bella see that I was alright that what she was experiencing was an illusion. That it wasn't real. _

"_I couldn't deny what my heart and my _soul_ wanted," she sobbed, glaring up at her uncle. "We would have died."_

"_You should have," Norex said coldly. "Charanel will be a greater emperor than you ever would. Right, Charanel?" Norex shoved the gun up into Charanel's chin, causing his head to tip back. _

"_Leave him alone," Bella snarled, glaring up at her uncle. "Do not touch my brother!"_

"_Why? Because he was smart enough to come with me when the attack happened. I wonder why?" Norex mused. "Oh, that's because he was in contact with Jakob. Your brother caused all of this."_

"_I didn't, Nirabelle!" Charanel yelled, trying to wriggle out of Norex's hold. "It was Uncle Rex! Not me!"_

"_Shut up, you _yanhesh!_" Norex growled, pushing Charanel toward me. I reach out to catch him, but he fell through my body. The sound of his wrist cracking resonated in the school. Charanel began crying, cradling his arm to his body. Bella wrenched herself away from me and she held Charanel's hand. She was whispering quietly to him in Cygnarian. _

_I paced the length of the room, trying to figure out how to make them see. I tried to touch Bella's shoulder and tried to punch Norex in the face. Neither worked, unfortunately. I did give Norex the finger and kicked him in the nuts, though it didn't do anything. It was strangely cathartic, though. After I got my rage out on the apparition of Norex, I stumbled, stepping onto my corpse. When my foot touched the corpse's foot, it moved. My eyes widened and I found my way to make them see. Laying down, resting inside of my broken body. Once I settled, the pain from my injuries overtook me, but I had to muscle through. _

_It made the agony of the _em'tuuk_ gas seem like child's play, though. _

_Opening my eyes, I pushed myself up to a seated position. Norex screamed like a girl, yammering about some ghost or demon that has taken over my body. "Shut up, asshole," I growled, squeezing my broken hands into fists. Unsteadily, I punched him in the face and forced him to the ground. Picking up the gun that had skittered across the tile, I aimed it at the back of his head as I knelt on his back. "You are not real. You are just a figment of my mate's imagination." Closing my eyes, I focused on 'healing' myself and my injuries disappeared, along with the pain. "I'm not."_

_Bella was staring at me, eyes wide with disbelief. Something had happened when I took control of my 'dead body.' I was gaining control of her mind. Looking down at Norex, I willed the floor to pin down his hands and keep him hostage while I attended to Charanel and Bella. Crouching in front of my brother, I took his hand. "Trust me," I whispered. Charanel nodded, his spots glowing a deep red. Closing my fingers around his wrist, I healed his broken bones and I smiled softly. "You're okay, Charanel. Go to the _Volvo_," I said. He disappeared, leaving me with Bella and a struggling Norex. _

_Moving toward my mate, I reached for her. Like a frightened animal, she fell away from me. Her eyes were filled with terror. "Bella, it's me," I murmured, my voice soft and loving. "Please…I'm alright. You're alright."_

"_No, you're dead," she squeaked. _

"_I'm not dead, _Fíorghrá,_" I said soothingly. "I'm perfectly fine. So are you. This…all of this…it's not real."_

"_Yes, it is," she sobbed brokenly. _

"_If it was real, how could I have healed myself without any medical equipment? Or Charanel?" I asked. "Or come back from the dead? Or control the floor? Bella, listen to me…this isn't real. You're trapped in your mind."_

"_No, I'm not," she said, getting up and trying to leave. Blinking my eyes, I managed to get in front of her, putting my hands around her arms. "How did you do that? You were over by Norex."_

"_Bella, please…I need you to come back to me. I miss you. Forx needs you. I need you," I pleaded, taking her face in my hands. "The last step is to make him go away. I'm certain that I can't do that without you. Bella, I need you back. Please, love?"_

_She pushed me away and glared at me. "You're not real. It's a trick," she snapped. _

_I walked to Norex, releasing him from his bonds. Helping him to his feet, I scowled at him. "Go to Lapus," I commanded him but he wouldn't move. Norex just grinned like a moron. He tried to attack me, but I used my mind tricks to shackle his hands. "See? I can restrain him, but only you can make him go. He's the last barrier, freeing you from this…this mental confinement."_

"_How?" she asked, looking at me skeptically. I blinked again and the gun was in her hand. "Kill him?"_

"_He killed so many," I muttered. When I looked at Norex, his body changed into the seven foot tall Jakob. His black eyes were seething with hatred and loathing. "End this."_

_Bella walked slowly toward Jakob. He watched her, lust washing over him. His body reacted to hers. I wanted to kill him for thinking such lewd things about my mate. Bella held the gun in her hand, holding it securely and aiming it at Jakob's head. The animal started spewing hateful phrases in Alphan, making lewd gestures and licking his lips. "You will be mine," he finished, grasping his crotch and thrusting up harshly._

"_No, I won't," she said, her voice sing-song and her eyes slightly crazed. Without even thinking, she raised the gun and shot Jakob square between the eyes. Then, lowering the weapon slightly, she shot him twice in the chest. He collapsed and as his body hit the ground…_

xx STAR CROSSED xx

"Edward?" Bella whimpered, her eyes bleary and confused.

"You're back," I sighed, holding her to my naked body and burying my nose into her hair. The door closed and our guests, Kunnan and Rose, had obviously left. I ran my hands up and down her bare torso. "Are you okay? Talk to me, _Fíorghrá._"

"It was all so real," she said, her hands gripping my shoulders. "I saw you die, Edward. And then, come back to life! I was so confused and so scared."

"I know, love," I murmured, brushing her damp hair from her face. She was covered in sweat and shivering. "Come. Let's get you warmed up in the bath." She nodded and tried to get up. I pushed her back on the mattress, removing the neurotransmitter on my temple. I scooped her in my arms, carrying her to the bathroom and into the warm water. She wrapped her legs around my waist, burying her nose into my neck. I just held her, allowing us this brief moment of solitude and comfort.

"I wish we were back in Ch'ich," she muttered. "I felt safe there."

"We'll go back, Bella. I promise," I vowed. "I know that right now, everything feels out of control and in shambles, but we've made headway on so many things while you were stuck within your mind."

"Like what?" she asked, untangling her legs from around my waist and standing in the water.

"The Assembly of Nobles is meeting to discuss what happened with Jakob. Jasper and I are going to interrogate Norex. My mom and sister believe they have solved the issue of who attacked first."

"There's something else, too," Bella said, her brows knit together. "You're holding something back."

"I believe I have found a diplomatic solution and why the Alphans have stepped up their attacks," I said, anger coloring my tone.

"What is this solution?"

"Lapus is a dying planet," I replied. "Honestly, I don't think that the Alphans realize it, but they are all sick because of the pollution, toxic air and poisoned food sources. We will assist them in a relocation to another planet if they stop their attacks against the Cygnarians."

"That seems too nice," Bella growled, her eyes darkening and her spots beginning to sizzle an angry red.

"Bella, listen to me," I said sternly, taking her hands in mine. "The doctrine for the Federation is to seek out new life and new civilizations. I would be remiss as a Galaxy Fleet captain if I went into the Alphan system, guns blazing."

"You are the Emperor of Forx. I want these attacks to stop," she snarled, her electric blue eyes simmering and also turning red. "I want them to _pay_ for what they've done to our planet. To _my _family. To the families of countless millions of Cygnarians. Giving them another planet to destroy is not a solution."

"If we leave them on Lapus, the entire Alphan species will die off," I said. "If we give them this other solution, besides carrying on this ongoing interstellar war, it may be result in significantly less blood-shed. I do not want to lose another Cygnarian life or a life of a Federation citizen."

"But in my mind, you encouraged me to kill Jakob…" she seethed. "Why?"

"Because he is a monster," I snapped in return. "Not all Alphans are like him, Bella."

"How do you know? Have you met all of them?" Bella asked, her voice taking on a hysterical tone. "Every Alphan I've ever met has been as cruel and sadistic as Jakob. Did you forget what they did to Maralice? What Jakob wants to do with me?"

"Of course I remember, but I'd rather go into the situation with another solution than fighting to the death, Nirabelle," I yelled. "Do you want to die? Do you want me to die? Jasper? Captain Picard? Data? If we go in, guns blazing, it's a distinct possibility that we would not make out of the battle. Originally, you wanted a diplomatic solution. I remembered that from when you first came aboard. You wanted the fighting to stop. What changed?'

"The fact that there is a Cygnarian informant for the Alphans among my people," she screamed. She grasped her head, moaning lowly. "_Snir!_"

"Bella," I whispered soothingly, taking her into my arms. I could feel her pain throbbing through her head. "You need to take it easy."

"I know," she whimpered. "I just hate being so vulnerable, Edward."

"Let me take care of you. We have the meeting with Assembly of Nobles tomorrow and then, I'm planning on interrogating Norex with Jasper. We need to find out if he's our mole."

"Mole? What's a mole?" Bella asked, her nose wrinkling adorably.

"It's an earth mammal, known for burrowing its nose where it isn't wanted. It's also used to describe someone who is working for the other side," I explained. "Let's finish cleaning up, change into something comfortable, eat some of your favorite foods and just relax. Tomorrow is going to be stressful and with your ordeal, you need as much rest as possible, Bella. You took care of me when I was recovering from my _em'tuuk_ gas exposure. Now, it's my turn to take care of you."

She nodded, her red spots and angry eyes softening, back to their normal coloring. I pulled her in my arms and held her close, stroking her back and murmuring words of love and comfort. Finishing our bath, we dressed in some pajamas, ordering all of Bella's favorite foods from the kitchen. We had a bed picnic, eating some of Forx's finest junk food. After we ate, Bella and I read one of her favorite stories and fell asleep just as the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon.

I couldn't stay asleep for long. I spent most of the night, watching her as she slept on my body. Her dreams were dark, almost nightmarish. She fought invisible foes, crying and pleading for an end to this war. Several times during the night, I had to wake her up from her dreams. She clung to me, needing to feel my body. Three times during the night, we made love, spanning from comforting to desperate.

Early the next morning, we got up and dressed for the meeting with the Assembly of Nobles. Bella was dressed in a regal blue gown with her _ioti_ stone circlet upon her head. I was dressed in an outfit similar to what I wore during our mating ceremony. The only difference was the jacket, which was a darker blue with a deep purple sash that draped across my body. I wore my phaser beneath my jacket and my communicator was affixed to my chest. Bella insisted that I wear my circlet which she placed on my head before we left for the grand ballroom. The ballroom was serving as the chambers for the Assembly of Nobles.

Rose met us outside. She was dressed in her formal uniform. Her blonde hair was pinned up into a chignon. "From what I can tell, most of their emotions are indicating anxiety over what is happening. Only a handful are anxious for other reasons. I have to get inside to fully comprehend their feelings," Rose explained.

"Normally, the Assembly of Nobles is a closed meeting," Bella frowned. "With everything that has happened, being admitted into the Federation and this new threat, it seems plausible that we would have a Federation liaison."

"That's it. I'm a Federation liaison," Rose quipped, smirking slightly.

"My mother and sister are making a presentation about what they found in the archives," I said. Bella nodded and we walked to the entrance. Rose slipped inside while we waited for the doors to open, announcing our arrival. The booming voice of D'Metri heralded our entrance and the doors swung open. The nobles and governors stood up as we walked to the raised dais where our thrones were located. Bella and I bowed deeply before sitting down, clasping each other's hands.

Once everyone was settled, I stood up and introduced myself. Most everyone in the room knew me from our mating ceremony, but there were a few new faces. I explained everything that had happened, our findings regarding the cloaking device and breezing over the information found in the archive. With a firm nod to my mother, I turned the floor over to her and she began her presentation about how the Alphans were the first to attack.

_Back in the corner, _Bella thought to me. _Governor It'shi has been glaring at us almost the entire time. Also, Lord and Lady Mel'aette seated right next to them have been…_She blinked to a cluster of five people. I tapped out a command to Rose, asking her to get a feel for the governor and his companions.

_What about the father of your intended? The one who died? Would he be upset about our union? _I asked.

_No. He was so deeply saddened by the death of his son that he didn't really care about what happened to me. He has since resigned his position and is living in exile on an island in the Renien Ocean_, Bella explained.

"Are there any questions?" Elizabeth asked the crowd.

"Why is this now coming into light?" asked Governor It'shi. "According to you, these documents have been in the archives all along."

"No one thought to look back this far," my mom said. "The war had been going on forever and it was unclear why it even started. We are looking to get verification from the Alphan archives as we do our reconnaissance with our stealth ships in the war fleet."

"Besides, these documents were in an ancient Cygnarian dialect. It took a great deal of assistance to get them translated," Elizabeth said.

"For all we know, you could have fabricated this information," Governor It'shi spat.

Bella stood up, glaring at him. "You will treat our guests respectfully, Governor. It is with the aid of the Federation that we will hopefully put an end to this war. Now, moving on. Captain Data and Commander Volturi are going to present information about this cloaking device and how to deactivate it."

Rose sent me a message on my tablet. _I'd put Governor It'shi, Lord and Lady Mel'aette and their staff on your list of possible moles. They abhor you. The level of hatred that is being sent your way is disgusting. _I nodded, slipping my tablet back into my jacket.

We spent nearly three hours listening to presentations and intel before we shared what had happened that caused us to return from Ch'ich so quickly. Rose was standing right by the Governor and his companions. When we mentioned a traitor, Rose sent me an encrypted message to my tablet. Pulling it out, I read her message, indicating that their heart rates increased along with a spike in anxiety.

"This conflict between the Alphans and Cygnarians has been going on for as long as I can remember," Bella said strongly. "It's one thing to have a foe that we can recognize. But, someone living among our people, spreading information to the Alphans. You are betraying your people. Anyone found guilty of treason will be dealt with harshly and swiftly. As of right now, we are going to not make any decisions on how to proceed. Go back to your diplomatic homes, spread word of what is happening and we will reconvene within a week."

I stood up next to Bella and we left the ballroom. We walked briskly to my office, which was closest to the ballroom. Bella collapsed against me. I held her on my lap. Rose found us in my office. "I got a few others that may be working for Alphans, Lord Pt'ati, Governor Elij'ah and Lieutenant Governor Re'alle. They left with Governor It'shi and Lord and Lady Mal'aette. Secrecy and lies were the forefront of their emotions. There was also a great deal of animosity towards both of you."

I tapped my communicator. "Cullen to Picard and Data," I barked. They responded. "Have the transmissions of following nobles monitored. I'm sending you a list." I uploaded the list of names. They confirmed receipt.

"Why are you using Captain Picard and Captain Data?" Bella asked.

"Outside sources and people that I trust," I explained. "I'm also going to have Maralice pull their files so I can read more about these nobles."

"Let me do that," Bella said. "Maralice and I haven't had much time to talk since her attack, our mating and everything in between." She stood up, kissing me softly. "I love you, Edward. Thank you for last night."

"I love you more, _Fíorghrá_," I whispered, caressing her cheek. "I shouldn't be more than a couple of hours."

"He may be our informant, but he's still my uncle, Edward," Bella warned me. "Please, treat him respectfully."

"I have every intention to. Jasper, on the other hand," I grimaced. "He spent years in War Fleet."

"I'll go and make sure that Jasper is behaving himself," Rose said. Bella relaxed visibly. With another sweet kiss, she left my office and I summoned my first officer. "You two are seriously drowning in lovey-dovey vibes."

"Last night was rough. Once she came to from the catatonic state, her emotions were all over the place. I smothered her with love," I said, going to grab a snack from my cupboard.

"You mean sex," Rose deadpanned.

"Yes, we had sex," I said, tossing a grape-like fruit at my ex-wife. "Look, this connection thing is complex. We share one mind, one soul. It was what she needed to feel safe and secure. It was what I needed after my _em'tuuk_ gas exposure to heal me. The skin on skin contact, it bonds us."

There was a chime at my door. Kunnan entered carrying his medical bag. "Emperor," he greeted me, bowing deeply. "Now that you've healed from your illness, the Empress asked that we begin your regimen to alter your aging."

"Now?" I asked, arching a brow.

"What does this regimen entail?" Rose asked. Kunnan handed Rose a tablet, which she read over quickly. "Any side effects?"

"No. Didyme receives something similar and she has had no ill-effects," Kunnan said. "If anything, it will give you more energy and make you stronger, Emperor."

"How long do I have to take this regimen?" I asked.

"Once a month for the rest of your life. I will administer it until I die. Then, my son, Kunari, will take over," Kunnan said. "He is in school to be a healer, like me." Kunnan took out a hypospray, filling it with a purple serum. He moved my jacket, revealing my neck and injecting it into my carotid artery. There was a warm feeling that spread through my veins, followed by a burst of energy. "All set, Emperor. I shall go check on the Empress, see if there are any after effects from her _zi'tkm_."

"Her emotions are all over the place," I said. "And she said she was suffering from a headache."

"That's to be expected. I will talk with her and examine her more thoroughly while you question Lord Norex. Have a good day, Emperor," Kunnan said, bowing again. As he left, Jasper walked in, a large duffel bag on his shoulder.

"Do I even want to know what's in the bag?" Rose deadpanned, glaring at Jasper.

"Probably not," Jasper snickered. He shifted it and metallic clanging filled the room.

"Commander, I promised my mate that we would treat Norex respectfully. No torture devices," I chided. Jasper frowned, looking like I had killed his puppy. "This guy is Bella's uncle and the brother of the previous emperor. He may be an asshole, but he does need to be given some sort of deference."

"Fine," Jasper spat out. He dropped his bag, kicking it underneath a table. "Let's get this done. Rose, are you coming? We could use an empath." Rose nodded and we went down to the holding cell that Norex was being detained. Several Imperial guards were watching over him while he poked at his meal that barely looked edible. When we relieved the guards, Norex looked up at us. The contempt in his eyes was barely contained.

"I've been down here for over three weeks," Norex snarled.

"And yet, you still manage to cause trouble," I smirked.

"That would be you," Norex retorted darkly. "Ever since Charel decided to contact the Federation, everything has gone to hell. First, my niece is mated to _you_." He spat that like it was a swear word. His disdain plain as day. "Then, the attack on _H'Nan_ and finally, the threats from Jakob."

"How did you know about the attack on _H'Nan_?" I asked.

"I overheard the guards talking," he shrugged. "One of them had an older sibling that was a part of the colony. He was upset that his sister was murdered needlessly."

"The Alphans are picking up their paces," Jasper said. "Their actions are becoming more and more erratic and violent. Do you know anything about that?"

Norex rolled his eyes and shrugged nonchalantly. Rose tapped my shoulder, shaking her head no. He was lying.

"Try again," I spat.

Norex turned to me, his eyes blazing in anger. "You know nothing," he spat.

"I know that you know more than you're letting on. You may be a lord and the brother of the previous emperor, but I have no qualms in keeping you in here, indefinitely," I said harshly.

"Okay, okay," he growled. "I knew that they were going to attack _H'Nan_. That's it. Jakob had contacted me and asked for Nirabelle's hand in marriage. Speaking on behalf of her father, I agreed to it. When she returned with you, Jakob sent word that he was going to attack the colony. I didn't know when or how, but that it was coming."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Jasper asked, his face flushed with anger. Rose tugged on my hand and led me out of the room with the holding cells.

"What's your take?" I asked.

"He's lying through his teeth about his knowledge of the attack on _H'Nan._ He probably knew exactly when and where. He probably also arranged for the shields to be taken down. Obviously, he couldn't, but he must have had an accomplice," Rose explained. "His heart rate jumps whenever he mentions Jakob. He is terrified of him and was willing to sell his niece to him in order to negotiate peace." She showed me a tablet, displaying Norex's financials. "He received a large payment of _marceshian _stones the day before we arrived at Forx from a Turulian merchant."

"Turulian?" I hissed.

"He picked up the stones from an outpost just outside of the Neutral Zone, near the Reman border," Rose said. "Additionally, Norex's wife has been using a poorly masked hailing frequency, trying to contact someone on Lapus, but we can't triangulate the location."

"How long have you known this?"

"Jasper told me about it the day you left for Ch'ich," Rose said. "We've been working every day since to find connections with Norex and the Alphans. However, it seems that he's just the 'face' of the communication. These orders are coming from deep within the Cygnarian computer system. At this time, we cannot decrypt their origins. Additionally, the messages that we have intercepted are written in a language we can't understand. It looks like a combination of Bolian and ancient Turulian."

"I think we need to bring in Norex's mate. Talk to her. We also need to discover who is pulling the strings of the puppets," I muttered, reading the information on the tablet again. "Inform the Imperial guard of what I need and have J'amaru look at these symbols. See if he recognizes them."

"Understood," Rose nodded, turning on her heel and darting up to the throne room.

Tucking the tablet into my jacket, I walked back toward the holding cell. Jasper and Norex were glaring at each other. "Norex, you have been quite busy," I said, shaking my head as if I was ashamed of him. "What would your brother say? Selling your niece, his _daughter_ to the enemy?" He fumed in his cell. "As far as I'm concerned, you will remain in here. You snarl and yell that Nirabelle's actions are treasonous. I beg to differ, Norex. What you have done is beyond the pale."

Summoning the guards, I had a glare off with Norex. When they arrived, I gave them my orders. "Lord Norex is to remain in this cell until his trial. He is being charged with high treason. The only people allowed to speak with him are his attorney, myself or Empress Nirabelle. His meals will be personally brought down by Commander Whitlock. If he tries anything, he will lose the privilege of visitors and spend the days leading up to his trial in solitary confinement. Do you understand?" I asked.

"Yes, Emperor," they said, saluting me.

"Good," I nodded curtly, leading Jasper up to the throne room. I guided him back to my office, which was now empty. "Jasper, I need you to find out as much as you can about the transaction between Norex and Jakob."

"Is that before or after I play waiter?" Jasper asked, his eyes searing through me.

"I need someone that I can trust to deliver his food and take it away. If it's not you, I'm sending down Emmett or Garrett," I argued. "We have a list of possible moles and now, information implicating someone higher than Norex. We need to find out who."

"Okay," Jasper said, running his hand through his blonde hair. "I'll do some more digging. Why not use your envoy? D'Metri?"

"There's something about him that I don't trust. Jasper, I know you. I know my crew. With corruption spreading through the palace, I need people that I can trust implicitly to do what I need to be done. The first step is to identify the people who are working with the Alphans and why they would do that."

"Do you think those people plotted to have Bella's father executed? Leaked his location on the front lines?" Jasper questioned.

"That's what I'm afraid of," I frowned. "How do I tell Bella that some of the closest advisors and people she's known for her entire life could have led her father to his death?"

**A/N: Hmmmmm...the plot thickens. Now, what do you think about Norex? Who is he working for? Why would he have sold Bella to Jakob? Who is Norex's ally? Lots of questions left unanswered. But all will be revealed. I promise. And let's not forget Bella's catatonic state and her subsequent freak out afterward…I hope that wasn't too confusing. The portion of the chapter that is in ****_italics_**** is the time spent in Bella's head. It kind of gives a sneak peak of who she doesn't trust (Norex/Jakob) and who she loves the most (Charanel and Edward, obviously). **

**Not a lot of pictures with this one. Some, but not many. Any pictures will be posted on my blogs and tumblr. Links for all of them are on my profile. **

**Up next will be Bella, her take on Edward's charge of high treason, her confrontation with Norex and some more clues at who is the puppet master in this whole thing. **

_Class-M Planet ~ A planet that is capable of sustaining life, comprised of a nitrogen/oxygen atmosphere, abundant water, various animal and plant life and the presence of a sentient species. Forx and Earth are examples of Class-M planets. _

_Snir ~ Cygnarian swear word, shit_

_Marchesian stones ~ Highly valuable gemstone, used to create dilithium crystals when they are not naturally occurring. One gram of marchesian stones can produce enough dilithium crystals to provide jump drive for three starships for a year. _


End file.
